111-120

Gold Heights C.o.n.d.o.minium.

It was already past 3 AM when Iris, Dom and their driver arrived home. Even so, Yi Mei still welcomed them, her face filled with worry. She immediately fussed around Iris, making sure that her Young Miss was safe and uninjured.

Dom ran straight to the kitchen to heat up an extremely late dinner. He was so hungry that he could die! The driver joined him.

Yi Mei encouraged her Young Miss to eat, but Iris declined. She had no appetite.

Iris didn't feel well. She was still feeling alright while they were at the police station, but when they were in the van on the way home, her body started aching. She also felt a nagging headache. Perhaps she overexerted herself when she fought against the Alarm Girls, in addition to the acc.u.mulated exhaustion from the daily rehearsals and her performance at the launch party.

She checked on Ice Cream and Popcorn who were sleeping soundly in the cat room. She gave them quick, gentle rubs before heading to her own bedroom. She took a quick shower. Originally, she wanted to soak in a long, hot bath but decided against it because she was too sleepy.

As soon as she laid on the bed, she was fast asleep.

Silence.

Darkness.

Her body felt like it was floating in a black ocean, the viscous water pressing heavily against her, drowning her. She tried to swim, tried to escape, but she couldn't move.

Then a whirlpool s.u.c.k.e.d her and threw her onto a place so familiar, it was her only world once upon a time.

Her little hands were pounding the piano, fumbling on the keys she couldn't reach with her short fingers. Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee" played over and over, not stopping even when her little hands started to cramp. She did her best to match the intended rapidity and chaos of the piece as best as she could.

"That's enough for today," her strict music teacher announced.

She immediately stood up and faced her teacher, her tiny back ramrod straight. Her little hands were tired and shaking, but she didn't dare complain.

"Your techniques have improved, Miss Evelina. Teacher is very pleased. However, you're still hesitating. With the way you played it today, it sounded like the wings of the bumblebee are damaged and couldn't fly properly. Learn how to fully embrace the music. Feel the music, be confident…"

She tried listening to the rest of her teacher's lecture, but the sounds became distorted and her surroundings became hazy. Then everything warped and she was sitting by the garden for afternoon tea with her parents.

"My dear Evelinochka [1], I heard from your tutors that you aced your Dutch and German language tests. Congratulations, my little princess!"

"Thank you, father," she replied, smiling shyly.

Her mother set her teacup on the table and her frigid eyes looked at her. Her small body trembled under her mother's intense gaze.

"I heard that you're not doing well on your shooting and close combat training." Her mother's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion. "Tell me the reason why."

Her small lips shook, but she forced herself to answer. "Mother, I don't like shooting and fighting."

"You are a member of the Vetrov family. We, the Vetrovs, must learn all these things whether we like it or not. Do not shirk your duties for such a silly reason ever again. Do you understand?"

She blinked her green eyes, fighting against the tears. She didn't cry or else she would be punished. "I understand, Mother."

"Now, now. Do not be too hard on my Evelinochka. My little princess is a good girl." Her father patted her golden hair.

Her surroundings started warping once again, and she was now crying and screaming at a doc.u.mentary on TV while burrowing her little self in the safety of her big brother's arms.

"Don't cry, Evelinka [2]," her big brother rubbed her back. "It's just a bison. It's not scary at all."

"B-but…the horns are so big and sharp…"

He chuckled. "Don't worry, my little sister. Your big brother will make sure that no animals with horns will come near you. If they do, I'll kill them and cut off their horns. I'll exterminate all animals with horns for you. So don't cry now, okay?" He wiped her tears.

"O-okay…"

"Good girl."

Her brother's face shifted into her father patting her head.

"Good girl."

Then it was her mother's beautiful, ice-cold face.

"Be a good girl and improve your shooting and close combat skills."

The faces of these three warped and interchanged with each other, again and again, faster and faster.

"Good girl."

"What a good girl."

"Be a good girl."

The voices multiplied. They were murmurs at first but gradually became shrieks, screaming "Good girl! Good girl!" at her.

Sounds of helicopters added to this hellish cacophony. Doors banging, glasses shattering. Howling, roaring.

"We have orders. Fire!"

Gunshots.

"No, no, no. No!!!" She closed her eyes and covered her ears. "Stop it! Please stop!!!"

Then a familiar pair of big, warm arms embraced her from behind. The sounds finally stopped. Relieved, she leaned back into the embrace and then turned around to see a handsome face smiling at her.

"Liwei…" She threw herself at him, crying.

He kissed her forehead. "I'm here. Don't be afraid. We're together now."

She hugged his waist tightly, afraid that he would leave her alone back to that hell.

"Stay with me, baby," he said.

"Yes."

He ran his fingers down her long hair. "Good girl."

She stiffened and looked up at him.

"You're mine, Long Xiulan. Only mine."

Her mind suddenly became befuddled. Her eyebrows scrunched together.

"Long Xiulan…who's Xiulan?"

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her on the lips. "You are Xiulan. My Xiulan."

She was very confused. Her mind couldn't understand what the man in front of her was saying. "No…I'm not. My name is…Evelina."

Then his figure disappeared within a fog.

She couldn't see anything besides the whiteness. She walked and walked, yet the fog stayed and surrounded her.

Wvm jfl lvu?

She had forgotten.

Why was she walking for so long? For what purpose?

Was she real? Did she exist?

She couldn't remember.

"Come back," a faint voice called for her from a distance.

She stopped, but her mind was still muddled. So she continued walking.

"No…don't go," the faint voice echoed.

She stopped again and turned around.

"Remember…remember that you are me now…you are…Long Xiulan…" The faint voice was getting weaker.

"Remember?" Her head started aching and her lower abdomen felt heavy, as if her insides were being squeezed. It hurt.

"Don't…erase my…existence…you are Long Xiulan…"

"I am…Long Xiulan."

###

Footnotes:

[1] Nickname for Evelina.

[2] Another nickname for Evelina

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Iris woke up gasping. Her heart raced, pounding so hard and so loud, as if it wanted to jump out of her c.h.e.s.t. She was soaked in her own sweat, yet her body felt ice-cold and shivered uncontrollably. Her teeth was even chattering.

She looked around her familiar dark bedroom, trying to ascertain that everything was real, that she wasn't dreaming anymore. Remembering her nightmare…her breath hitched and she shuddered. It felt so real.

Forgetting her own self was the most frightening feeling that she had ever experienced in her two lives. It felt like she wasn't alive, like she didn't exist, like she was nothing…no one.

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths, focusing on the sound of the falling water from the wall-mounted waterfall fountain to slowly calm her down. It took a long time before her heartbeat slowed and her body stopped shaking. She still felt cold but at least it became more bearable than when she just woke up.

Now that she calmed down enough, she noticed that her body felt heavy. She also felt light-headed. Her lower abdomen was cramping and there was something wet and sticky between her t.h.i.g.hs.

She sighed and climbed off the bed. Her pyjama pants and bed sheets were stained with blood.

Just walking was difficult. Everything ached and she felt a bit dizzy. Dragging her heavy body, every movement was a challenge.

She first headed to her walk-in closet to get a clean pair of pyjamas and u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r. Then she headed to the bathroom, opened a drawer for a sanitary pad, and cleaned herself up before changing into her clean clothes. She noticed that she was bleeding a lot heavier this time compared to her previous periods.

Panting from these simple actions, she leaned over the sink to wash the sweat off her face. Her reflection stared at her in the mirror, looking very pale…Long Xiulan's reflection.

"I am Long Xiulan." Her voice was a whisper. She spoke again, this time louder and stronger. "This is me. I am real. My name is Long Xiulan."

Staring at her own reflection in the mirror by herself started to spook her.

She forced a smile.

'What am I doing? It was just a dream, only a dream. No need to be so freaked out.'

She patted her face dry with a towel and headed back to her bed. She looked at the bloodstain on her bed sheets and sighed. Then she thought of something. She grabbed her duvet, gathered it in her arms, and went out of her bedroom.

Silently and carefully, she opened the door to the cat room. She peeked and saw her two kittens sleeping peacefully. Ice Cream was curled into a ball on her own small fluffy bed, while Popcorn was sprawled on the carpet with his belly up and tiny feet stretched in weird positions.

Iris smiled and entered the room, closing the door gently behind her. She walked to the sofa, planning to sleep there but changed her mind upon seeing the cute Popcorn. She placed the duvet on the carpet instead, and then laid down beside the sleeping kitten. She grabbed the other half of the duvet and covered herself.

Her cramps were becoming more painful, making it hard for her to find a comfortable position to sleep. However, she felt too lethargic to stay awake.

Giving a gentle rub to Popcorn with a finger, her eyes drooped close and her breathing became steady. Moments later, she was asleep.

###

Un ar ovu lcw msuz ovu Pfhadah Ohufr.

Jin Liwei was on-board his private jet, typing on his laptop while reviewing the doc.u.ments in front of him. His assistant, Xu Tian, was on the other side of the aisle also working.

A male flight attendant served each of them a cup of freshly brewed Saint Helena coffee. Jin Liwei acknowledged him with a nod and resumed his work. Xu Tian thanked the flight attendant and immediately sipped his cup.

Jin Liwei only employed male flight attendants. There were female ones before when he bought his first private jet, but he fired all of them when they continuously tried to seduce him. They were so annoying, disturbing him every few minutes, offering this drink or that snack or the creepy "let me give you a massage, sir". He never had any moment of peace, so he decided to only employ male flight attendants.

Unbeknownst to him, this decision of his fueled rumours that he was gay.

Xu Tian stood up from his seat and carried his laptop to Jin Liwei's desk. "President, this is the bid proposal prepared by the Fans for our next business project."

"Rejected." Jin Liwei didn't even look at it.

Xu Tian was taken aback. He blinked, wondering if he heard his boss correctly. "Uh, President…how about take a look at it first? Isn't this project in the area of their expertise?"

Jin Liwei stopped typing and looked at his assistant, his expression colder than usual. "My Jin Corporation will not have any further business with the Fans. We can't pull out of our current partnersh.i.p.s with them now, but the moment that our contracts end, we're done. We're not renewing. From now on, reject any proposals sent by them. No need to inform me. I give you my authority. Understood?"

Xu Tian was confused. Through their connection with the Old Madam, the President's mother, the Fans enjoyed a close connection with the Jins. The Second Master was even engaged to marry Miss Fan Luo. Everyone was already expecting a closer connection between the two families especially in business after the two married. In fact, the Fans were already using their status as the future-in-laws of the Jins to win advantageous business deals.

As if hearing his assistant's inner thoughts, Jin Liwei said, "I'm the boss of Jin Corporation, not my brother. He doesn't even work at the company and from what he tells us, he has no plan on doing so in this life. Fan Luo is marrying Chonglin, not Jin Corporation. There is no reason why I should let the Fans invade my company.

Xu Tian didn't know what to say. He wondered why his boss was suddenly taking an antagonistic stance against the Fans. Then he remembered. He glanced at his boss who was now sipping his coffee.

It must be because of Miss Long.

Xu Tian felt troubled. He could sense that his boss was falling more deeply for Miss Long by the day. He was happy for his boss who was finally showing some human emotions.

The reality, however, was far from ideal.

No matter how much one turned the world upside-down, it wouldn't change the fact that the President got himself in a problematic situation. He wondered if his boss would ever confess the truth to Miss Long, or would he bury the truth forever?

"Uhm, President, how about you…" Xu Tian's swallowed his next words. He didn't have the courage to suggest for his boss to confess everything to Miss Long.

.

.

.

Jin Liwei could guess what his assistant wanted to say. His lips pressed together and a trace of anxiety flashed in his cold eyes. "I'll tell her everything," he said in a soft voice. "I just need the right timing."

Xu Tian nodded and returned to his seat. He had trouble focusing on his work because he couldn't help but worry for his boss.

In his opinion, it was better if the boss confessed the truth to Miss Long, the sooner the better. Although they already erased all traces of the truth, keeping such a big secret from one's beloved would definitely have a heavy emotional toll.

Who would have thought that the President would fall for Miss Long, of all people?

What kind of stroke of fate was this?

A relationship built on shaky ground wouldn't last long. No matter how grand and beautiful, if the foundations were weak, it would eventually collapse. This kind of secret would fester in the heart and eat away the love.

As he thought more about it, Xu Tian agreed with the President's decision to gradually cut off his ties with the Fans. But he couldn't cut them out completely because it was a fact that they were going to be in-laws through the Second Master.

Xu Tian sighed. What a mess!

If only the Second Master wasn't marrying Miss Fan Luo, then the President would have more wiggle room to deal with the Fans without ruffling too many feathers.

Who ever said that being members of the country's prominent families was easy?

He could only pray that Miss Long would understand the President's reasoning for doing what he did. She was also a daughter of a prominent family, so she should be familiar with the obsession of safeguarding the family reputation.

"Xu Tian, stop thinking about it. Focus on your work."

He flinched, feeling guilty upon hearing his boss' admonishment. "Apologies, President."

"Don't worry about it anymore. This is my problem. I'll deal with it myself."

"Understood, President."

Although Jin Liwei said such words to his assistant, inside he was in turmoil. His hands clenched into fists, trying to control his anxiety. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel confident and was afraid of rejection.

He could only do his best to show Xiulan his feelings and make her fall for him enough that she would be able to forgive him once he confessed everything to her.

Hopefully…

###

Saturday.

Gmit Huaevol C.m.r.t.m.qarapq.

Originally, Iris was supposed to have a full schedule everyday promoting her new album immediately after the release day. But because of the incident with the Alarm Girls during the launch party, Bright Summit instructed her to lay low for now.

"Let our PR team handle the media storm. Don't post anything on social media," Tang Yiyi told her on the phone. "Don't worry. The law is on our side. You did nothing wrong. What you did was legitimate self-defence. Besides, those Alarm Girls already have a previous record. Just take this time to rest up and be ready to return to work anytime."

"I understand, Elder Sister Yiyi. Thank you."

Iris was actually relieved that she didn't have to work at the moment. Of course, she was excited to promote her new album especially since she had been looking forward to it for so long.

But she was not feeling well.

She was listless and had no appetite. Yi Mei almost resorted to force-feeding her before she could persuade Iris to eat a few spoonful of food. The housekeeper was so worried and suggested that they call for Dr. Ching, but Iris waved her away, saying that it was just a bad case of menstruation and that she would feel better after her period.

The good news was that her album "Rebirth" was selling like crazy, even though she couldn't actively promote it for now. Many stores were already sold out and ordered another batch from JJ's record label. It also topped the bestseller daily rankings in all the major online music stores.

Perhaps the incident with the Alarm Girls wasn't so bad after all. It was certainly bringing a lot of publicity to Iris and her new album.

The biggest reason for the demand for her album, however, was the slew of videos taken during the launch party. The videos were currently hot on the internet, not to mention the high praises from the fans who personally attended the launch party. They showed and bragged about Iris' breathtaking performances.

Tvu qmlo nmnpifz jfl ovu mru lvmjare vuz lareare ar jvaloiu zuealouz. Esuzwmru jfl lm fqfxut ovfo fiqmlo fii nzmezfql mr TV frt zftam juzu oficare fgmpo ao ovu uroazu tfw. Esur lmqu md ovu rujlnfnuzl qftu ao ovuaz vuftiarul.

Many were already giving Iris Long titles such as "Nation's Voice", "Nation's Diva", "Nation's Talent," and even "Nation's Siren". The netizens, however, gave her the title "Nation's Lady Boss" for her gangster aura when she dealt with the Alarm Girls.

It was only the second day since her album "Rebirth" was launched, but it was already exceeding expectations. Iris Long, in particular, was the current hottest topic.

While everyone was talking about her, the person herself didn't have the energy to care about all of these. She tried playing the piano, but she couldn't sit for too long. She tried composing, but she couldn't focus.

She took Jin Liwei's list and went to her computer room. She could only finish one report before she decided to stop.

Not used to being idle, she had no idea what to do. She suddenly wished that Jin Liwei would come home sooner. She wanted to call him, to hear his voice, but couldn't because he should still be on the plane at the moment.

She could only settle for the next best thing and spent almost the entire day lazing around with her kittens, playing with them with what little energy she could eke out.

Iris laid on the carpet in the cat room, an electric heating pad on her abdomen. Ice Cream was curled on top it, sleeping contentedly. Popcorn was, as usual, jumping all around, trying to get her to play with him.

"Do you miss daddy?" she suddenly asked them, and then blushed when she realized what she just said.

But her kittens surprised her.

Iris smiled and petted the two kittens. "I miss daddy, too."

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It was already evening when Jin Liwei's private jet landed in the country. He was exhausted but also extremely excited to finally see his baby girl. He missed her so much. He wanted to embrace her and kiss her as soon as possible, and also to congratulate her for the release of her new album.

His subordinates picked him and Xu Tian up from the airport. They were the ones who helped carry the purchases for the kittens before to Iris' condo unit and even ate dinner there.

"Did you bring the things I instructed to be prepared?" Jin Liwei asked.

"Yes, Master. Everything is packed in the car."

"Good. To the penthouse."

Jin Liwei planned on taking a nap until they arrived at the condo. He was already feeling the effects of jet lag. He was about to sleep when his eyes caught the news playing on a nearby public TV outside.

"Wait." He stopped the driver who was about to start the car.

He continued to watch the news on the big TV screen outside. He couldn't hear the audio, but the big texts were clear enough. Then he noticed the newspapers some of the people were reading.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded.

Why was his baby girl all over the news?

His expression turned furious when the news program showed a video clip of his Xiulan being chased by a mic stand-wielding attacker. He was too consumed by fury watching this scene that the next video clips of her fighting back and even beating the attackers failed to register with him.

"Find out what happened!" he ordered Xu Tian. "Who the hell attacked her?!"

Xu Tian immediately obeyed, checking the news sites on his phone.

His subordinate who was sitting on the front passenger seat cleared his throat.

"Master, I know what happened. It's all over the news, especially last night when it happened."

"Tell me."

Then his subordinate explained everything that happened at the launch party according to what was shared on the news. When he mentioned the Alarm Girls, Jin Liwei exploded.

"It's them again?! Didn't I already tell you to destroy them? Why are they still bothering my Xiulan?!"

"I apologize, President. I wasn't thorough enough in dealing with them," Xu Tian said. "I didn't expect that they'll attack Miss Long when they're already blacklisted from showbiz."

The atmosphere inside the car was very cold and tense. Nobody dared breathe too loudly or make any noise, afraid of angering their master even more.

"Drive!"

Tvu tzasuz aqqutafouiw mguwut frt ovu hfz lofzout qmsare.

Jin Liwei took deep breaths, trying to control his fury. He wanted to hunt those three girls and strangle them himself. He was about to call Xiulan on the phone and hear what really happened from her own words, but decided that it was better to wait until he saw her and talk in person.

Simmering in fury, he felt that the drive was taking too long. Damn the traffic!

Finally, they arrived in front of the condo building. He called his baby girl but she wasn't answering his call. He tried a couple more times before giving up. Perhaps her phone wasn't with her. So he called Dominic instead.

Dominic picked up quickly. His excited voice could be heard by the others inside the car even when the phone wasn't on speaker. He was so excited that he even went down to the lobby to pick up Jin Liwei in person.

###

Prokofiev's "Dance of the Knights" played inside the cat room.

Iris laid on the sofa, still feeling a little unwell, waving a teaser toy in time with the music's aggressive melody. The two kittens were playing, trying to catch the feathers at the end of the toy.

Ice Cream was already very graceful, even if her tiny feet were not stable yet. She would observe the prey first, calculating the best time to pounce. Smart girl. Unfortunately, she was still too small. Iris imagined that Ice Cream's judgment might already be accurate based on the initial trajectory of her jumps, but her body couldn't keep up yet. Nonetheless, the kitten already had the makings of a calculative hunter.

Her brother Popcorn, on the other hand, was like a brainless buffoon jumping all around without any sense. He would often crash against the furniture and the floor. There were times that he would even forget that he was chasing the teaser toy and just continue to jump around until he reached the corner of room and crashed against the wall. He would cry pitifully until he saw his sister Ice Cream still playing with the toy. He would immediately run back and start playing again happily.

Iris wondered if Ice Cream absorbed all the brain power while the siblings were still in their mother's w.o.m.b, leaving nothing for her brother. Although Popcorn wasn't too smart, he had a lot of energy. Too much energy, in fact. He would still be raring to play more when Ice Cream already had enough and went back to sleeping.

These differences between their personalities made Iris adore her kittens all the more. She was glad that she adopted them. She wanted pets in her previous life, but her mother didn't allow her, telling her that pets would make her more softhearted than she already was.

The original Iris had a few pets before, but they didn't last long with her. She would play with them like dolls for a few days before getting bored. Then she would just end up giving them away.

Now in this new life, she was able to accomplish this simple dream of having pets.

The two kittens suddenly stopped playing and ran to the door. Ice Cream sat and stared at the closed door quietly while Popcorn was scratching it and meowing loudly.

"Hm?" Iris watched their actions in confusion.

Then the door opened revealing Jin Liwei.

Their eyes met.

This time, Iris actually noticed her heart skipping a beat. He was back. She wanted to run to him and jump in his arms but was too lazy to get up. Well, it was only a few steps. The man could reach her more quickly with his long legs. So she continued to lay on the sofa like a queen waiting to be served.

Jin Liwei was about to walk to her when he felt something on his leg. He saw a small orange fur ball climbing up his pants. It was meowing nonstop. On the ground was another small grey fur ball staring up at him without blinking.

He bent down and scooped them up in each of his hands. "Hm? Are these my kids? Why are they so fat?"

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"Not fat, just healthier," Iris corrected him. "They were too thin when we got them."

"Hmm…" Jin Liwei carried the two kittens and walked to her.

Ice Cream quickly rubbed her head against his hand, then got bored just as quickly. She remained still, looking at the floor, silently indicating that she wanted to be set down. Jin Liwei didn't notice her attempt at silent communication. Popcorn continued to climb from his hand to his shirt, meowing loudly, as if demanding where his daddy went, why he was gone for so long.

Jin Liwei set the two kittens gently on the floor. Ice Cream immediately walked to her fluffy bed and fell asleep. Popcorn tried catching his daddy's attention but soon gave up. Daddy was too preoccupied with mommy.

Jin Liwei leaned down to finally gather his baby girl in his embrace, kissing her hungrily on the mouth.

Iris wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss, but then pushed him back and moved her face away after just a few seconds.

He tried kissing her again but she blocked his mouth with a hand.

"You didn't miss me?" he asked, a little hurt.

"Of course I did. I missed you."

"Then why?"

She looked at him like he was the biggest idiot in the universe. "So if I don't let you kiss me more, that means I don't miss you? What kind of stupid rule is that? Search it up and let me see! I'll give that stupid person who made that stupid rule a piece of my mind."

He didn't know how to respond. Why was she in such a bad mood? She was usually very receptive to his kisses and touches. Was it because he was gone for too long? Or was it because of the incident during her launch party? Did the incident affect her too much?

Feeling wary of her, he asked, "Are you angry?"

"Of course not. Why would I be angry? Don't be stupid."

Uh…how should he proceed? Something was really off about her today. It felt like any wrong move or wrong word and she would bite his head off.

Then she suddenly spread her arms and smiled at him. "Hug me."

Although he was still confused, he immediately obeyed. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her hair. "I missed you so much," he murmured.

"I missed you, too." Then after a couple of seconds, she pushed him away again. "Okay, that's enough."

He couldn't stop the hurt expression from showing on his face.

She didn't bother to comment, instead telling him, "Welcome home."

Instantly, he felt much better. His mouth curved into a smile. "I'm back, baby."

"Okay, you can kiss me."

Hu aqqutafouiw callut vuz gudmzu lvu hvfreut vuz qart. Tval oaqu, lvu iuo vaq call vuz imreuz. Hu nmpzut fii val imreare dmz vuz ar ovu call, lvmjare vuz vmj qphv vu qallut vuz. Hal vfrt hzfjiut om mru md vuz g.z.u.f.l.ol frt lypuuxut iaevoiw.

"Ouch! It hurts! YOU WANT TO DIE?!!!"

Iris pushed him away with all her might. He fell backward on the floor. He stayed sitting on his b.u.t.t, looking at her with a stupefied expression. He didn't even squeeze her that hard.

She was glaring at him so fiercely that he felt cold sweat on his back.

"I…sorry." He had no idea what was going on but he instinctively apologized. "I'm sorry, baby."

"Okay." Her expression returned to normal, smiling at him again. Then she asked him about his trip, the flight, whether he had eaten or not, and why he came to the penthouse directly from the airport instead of going to his house first.

He cautiously got up from the floor and sat down beside her on the sofa. He kept his hands to himself.

She was her usual calm and amiable self, talking to him. Jin Liwei almost felt that it was just his imagination that she exploded earlier. He wanted to interrogate her about the incident at the launch party, but decided that this might not be the right time, especially since he was still unsure of her mood. His earlier fury during the drive home had to be temporarily suppressed in front of her.

He held her hand, acting very cautious. Holding her hand should be okay, right? He waited and when she didn't snap at him, he released a breath of relief he didn't notice he was holding. Then he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. Again, he waited. And again, he sighed in relief when she didn't push him away.

"Congratulations on the release of your album," he told her, looking directly at her eyes. "I'm so proud of you, baby."

She smiled. "Thank you. I'm happy."

"I had my men buy several copies of your album as soon as it was released. Even if I wasn't physically here that time, I wanted to be one of the first people to buy it."

"Why didn't you just tell me? I could've requested some copies for you from the record label."

"No need. I want to support you this way. You have to sign my copies."

"Sure."

"Sign them 'darling'."

"No way."

"Please, baby?"

She scowled. "I said no!"

"…"

He didn't dare say anything more, afraid of triggering her again.

Then she tilted her head, looking at him. "Fine. But I'll only sign one with 'darling'. The others, I'll just write your name. Okay?"

He quickly nodded. "Yes, yes. Of course. Thank you, baby."

"And I'll kill you if you show that one copy to others."

He blinked. Was her baby girl always this vicious? He knew she was brutally honest, but he never knew about this poison tongue of hers. But he still nodded, showing her that he agreed with her. He sighed in relief when he saw her pleased smile.

A knock on the door.

"Come in," Iris said.

Xu Tian and Jin Liwei's two men entered. They lugged three huge boxes with them. They greeted the couple.

"You can set them up now," Jin Liwei ordered.

The three men immediately went to work, opening the boxes and taking out various weird-looking things.

"My present for the kids," Jin Liwei explained when he saw her confused expression. "I got a Canadian pet designer to design and manufacture it for me."

"Oh."

Jin Liwei also helped while instructing everyone on where to place what. She watched in interest as the men started setting up an intricate structure consisting of interconnected towers, houses, bridges, scratching posts, and playgrounds for the kittens throughout the entire room.

When they were finished, Iris forgot her lethargy and stood up, marveling at the cat room's transformation. The place transformed into a cat wonderland.

She scooped Ice Cream (awoken by all the activity) and Popcorn (still hopping all around) up in her arms.

"Look what daddy got you!" she announced to them.

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.

.

After the cat wonderland was set up, the men ate a late dinner. Dom, of course, the one with the bottomless stomach ate again, even though he already ate with the rest of the household earlier.

Iris accompanied them for about five minutes before excusing herself to the bedroom.

Jin Liwei watched her go, concerned. He noticed that she was listless and sometimes even looked like she was in pain. He asked her about it, she gave a straight answer.

"I have my period. My cramps are very painful this time."

Xu Tian choked on his food and coughed violently. Jin Liwei's two subordinates remained expressionless, but a suspicious red flush crept up from their necks to their ears. Jin Liwei was also speechless. He glared at the three, silently accusing them for not covering their ears in time. It was certainly their fault, not his baby girl's for being too brutally honest.

When Iris left, Jin Liwei turned to her assistant who was currently shoving big spoonful of food into his mouth. Dom immediately understood and swallowed everything. Then he started spilling everything that happened during the launch party.

Jin Liwei's expression turned blacker the longer he listened. Thank goodness that his Fourth Brother's teachings seemed to be effective and his baby girl was able to successfully apply her Systema skills in real life. If she wasn't equipped with any self-defence skills, then those b*tches would've already smashed her with those mic stands. He would make sure that those three b*tches would be punished and far away from his baby girl.

After dinner, he headed to the bedroom followed by his men lugging suitcases. Dom also called some of the maids to help out.

Iris was on the bed resting, trying to find a comfortable position. She looked at the group and at the many suitcases, a question in her eyes.

"My clothes and other stuff," he explained. "So I won't have to carry a sleepover bag every time I stay here."

She looked at him, silent.

He waited. Everyone waited for her decision.

"You're moving in?" she asked.

"I guess."

"Yes or no."

He took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm moving in."

She stared at him again. He had the urge to squirm under her intense gaze but stopped himself. He waited patiently without moving, like everyone else.

"If you're moving in, you'll have to pay for half of the household expenses."

"Of course!" His face was bright. "I'll even pay for everything, if you want."

"What did you say?!" She suddenly sat up, slamming a hand on a pillow. Her face contorted in anger, as she shouted at him. "You think I can't afford my own household?! Are you looking down on me, Jin Liwei?! You dare insult me this way?!"

Everyone shrank back, almost wanting to run away and escape from the room. They all looked at Jin Liwei, mentally pushing him forward to fix the situation.

'Why did you have to anger her? Do something! The Young Miss is too scary!" they all thought.

Jin Liwei was taken aback at her sudden rage. For a few moments, he didn't know what to do. He felt a sense of danger if he didn't calm her down soon. He gathered all the courage he could muster and stepped forward.

"Baby, I didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry. I absolutely have no intention of insulting you. Believe me." He edged closer and cautiously sat down on the bed. He prayed that she could see his sincerity.

"I'll pay half. Nothing more, nothing less. Forget about the other thing I said. It was careless and stupid. Okay, baby?"

"Hmph!" She turned to the rest of the group. "Bring the suitcases to my closet and make space for his things."

They hurriedly did her bidding, quickly escaping, afraid that she would explode again.

"Go take a shower," she told Jin Liwei after the group left.

"Okay, baby. Thank you." He tried his luck and leaned forward to kiss her.

She stayed still and allowed his lips a quick peck before pushing him away.

He sighed but didn't push it.

Iris saw the sad expression on his face and felt guilty. She pressed herself against his c.h.e.s.t and hugged him. "Sorry. I don't feel like myself today. I'll be fine after a few days."

He kissed her forehead, already feeling so much better. He hugged her as well, careful to keep his touch as light as possible. "Don't worry. I understand. I'm glad I'm home."

She looked up and smiled softly. "Me too." Then her expression turned annoyed. "Go now." She plopped herself back on the bed, ignoring him.

"…"

He had no choice but to drag his pitiful self to the bathroom.

After his shower, his baby girl wasn't on the bed anymore. He found her in the walk-in closet, instructing everyone where to put his stuff. She would take things from his suitcase and look at them with curiosity.

He entered, wearing nothing except for the bath towel around his waist. Xu Tian and the two subordinates didn't react. Dom gasped loudly, covering his mouth with his hands in an exaggerated manner. The maids blushed and quickly avoided looking in his direction.

Iris saw the maids' reaction and scowled. "You can all leave now," she said.

Everyone scurried out, making sure to close the door behind them. They were afraid that she would direct her line of fire at them.

She continued to ignore him, organizing his remaining things herself. Jin Liwei had no choice but to put on his pyjamas in silence.

Iris removed a pair of folded pants from the suitcase and a small box fell off.

"Hm?" She picked it up. She read the label. She blinked.

Io jfl f gmk md h.m.r.t.m.ql.

Then she noticed that there were more at the bottom of the suitcase. She removed the clothes on top.

Lo and behold!

About a hundred boxes of c.o.n.d.o.ms greeted her sight. They were in different types, colours and flavours.

Huh? C.o.n.d.o.ms had flavours, too?

How interesting.

Just like candies.

.

.

.

.

Jin Liwei finished putting on pyjamas and then noticed his Xiulan looking at something in his suitcase. He walked closer and his eyes almost popped out when he saw the sheer number of c.o.n.d.o.ms.

He cursed his butler in his head. Did his butler raid a store or something? Why did he pack so many?

While he was still in Toronto, he called his butler at home to pack luggage for him, explaining that he was going to stay at his girlfriend's place after he returned to the country.

The poor butler was so shocked that he wasn't able to react in time. He wanted to confirm whether the Master really said "girlfriend" and not "boyfriend". Then he almost had a heart attack when Jin Liwei instructed him to include c.o.n.d.o.ms with the luggage.

Jin Liwei hung up before the butler could clarify the instructions. Not knowing what kind of c.o.n.d.o.ms his master wanted, the butler ordered almost every kind. His master could just test everything and then tell him later on what suited him and his mysterious girlfriend the best, so that he could just buy more of it next time.

Iris looked at him, holding a couple of boxes in her hands. "Explain."

He wanted to tell her that it wasn't his idea, that it was his butler's, but was worried that it would trigger her and snap at him again. She might accuse him of pushing the blame on other people, so he decided to just own it up.

"It's for us to use, baby."

"I know, but why do you have so many? And there are so many kinds. What are these flavours? Banana? Papaya? Seaweed? Spaghetti? Chili pepper? Are you supposed to eat these? Do you have a c.o.n.d.o.m fetish? You're so weird."

His mind blanked for a couple of seconds before heat crawled up his neck. "Of course not! And we're not going to use those other freaky flavours."

He almost told her that if she didn't like c.o.n.d.o.ms, then he was fine without them. If she wanted babies this early, he wouldn't mind. But he was able to stop himself in time. He had a feeling that she would explode on him again if he told her this. He cleared his throat.

"They're…to add spice to our lovemaking. Yes, that's it. They're supposed to enhance our enjoyment."

"Hmm…" She looked at the boxes in the suitcase again. She was very curious about them. However, she wasn't really in the mood to investigate at the moment. "Put them in the bedside table drawer. I'm returning to bed. I'm tired."

"Okay, baby. Rest up. I'll take care of the rest." Jin Liwei immediately went to work.

She walked away but then stopped, turned around and said, "You haven't shown me your STD test results yet. No s.e.x until then."

He froze. "Baby, I already told you I don't have STD. I've never had s.e.x with anyone before you."

"It's just a simple test. Just do it and give me the results. How hard is that? You don't want to do it? Fine, I guess we'll both be v.i.r.g.i.ns in this relationship then! Burn those useless c.o.n.d.o.ms since we won't need them!" She huffed and marched off, leaving him no chance to reply.

Jin Liwei was speechless. He stood there like an idiot for about a minute before grabbing his phone. He dialed and waited.

"Hello?" Wang Yingjie's voice answered on the other end of the line.

"Second Brother, I need to get tested for STDs."

"Ah? Third Brother, is this really you?"

"Yes. You're a doctor. Tell me how to get tested for STDs."

Wang Yingjie was silent for a few seconds. "Why do you need to get tested? Do you think you contracted anything? If so, this is serious."

"No." Jin Liwei explained to his friend that his girlfriend, Xiulan, required him to get tested before allowing them to have s.e.x.

Wang Yingjie laughed. "Wise girl. Alright, I understand. I'm a surgeon so this isn't my area of expertise, but I'll refer you to a colleague of mine. He's discreet so you don't have to worry. When do you want to get tested?"

"As soon as possible."

"Alright. I'll call you when everything's set up."

"Thanks." Jin Liwei hesitated but decided to go for it. He cleared his throat. "Second Brother, is it normal for women to be angry all the time when they're on their, er, period? Like…their personality is so different from normal."

"Well, try bleeding from your organ for a few days and see if you don't feel angry too."

"Oh."

Wang Yingjie chuckled. "Yes, it's normal. It's due to hormone imbalances. Just be patient with her. It'll pass. And maybe she's also feeling stressed right now. I heard what happened to her last night. Don't add to her stress."

Jin Liwei's eyes turned cold as he was reminded by the incident during the launch party. He suppressed his fury. His Second Brother was right. He shouldn't add to his baby girl's stress at the moment. "I understand. Thanks, Second Brother."

"No problem. Anytime. Let's hang out with the others sometime. You can bring Xiulan again if she wants to."

The brothers hung up.

Jar Lajua efovuzut fii ovu h.m.r.t.m.q gmkul ar f nifloah gfe frt jficut mpo md ovu himluo. Hu dmprt val gfgw eazi mr ovu gut guare qfllfeut gw Ya Mua. Tvu vmplucuunuz dpllut frt iuhopzut fgmpo ovu ozftaoamrfi jfwl om ofcu hfzu md ovu gmtw tpzare qurlozpfoamr.

Good thing the plastic bag wasn't translucent. If the old housekeeper saw what was inside it, there was a high chance that she would go crazy and murder the l.u.s.ty brat.

He placed the plastic on the floor. At least he had the sense not to transfer the contents from the plastic to the bedside drawer in front of the housekeeper. He would do it later when she left.

"Teach me how to massage her," he asked the housekeeper.

Yi Mei paused, not knowing how to respond. She turned to the Young Miss.

"Go ahead." Iris sighed. "If he wants to learn, let him."

Yi Mei had no choice but to teach the l.u.s.ty brat.

.

.

.

After teaching Jin Liwei, Yi Mei left the two alone in the bedroom. The housekeeper looked visibly reluctant to leave and couldn't help but throw warning looks at the l.u.s.ty brat, to which Jin Liwei failed to notice. He was preoccupied in massaging his Xiulan.

"Be gentler!" Iris slapped his hands.

"Sorry," he mumbled. He made sure to control the strength in his hands.

She felt guilty for snapping at him. "Sorry. I don't feel well today."

"Don't worry about it."

"You must be exhausted from the long flight and yet I'm having you massage me."

"Like I said, don't worry about it. Anything for my baby."

"Thanks." She stretched out her arms, inviting him for an embrace.

Of course he accepted, hugging her like she was his most precious treasure.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I got you something. Wait here," he said.

He carefully released her, and then headed to the walk-in closet. Moments later, he returned carrying two small velvet boxes.

Iris sat up, curious.

Jin Liwei opened the box which was slightly smaller than the other one. It was a platinum bangle. A dragon and a phoenix were lightly yet intricately carved on the surface of the entire bangle, facing each other as if looking at one another's souls. The centre of the bangle had a rose gold finish with the letters "LX" delicately engraved in an interlocked manner.

"For you."

She studied the bangle, admiring the exquisite design.

"Let me," he said before she could reach for it. He fastened it carefully around her left wrist.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, smiling softly. Then she looked at him. "Thank you."

He opened the other box. It was another bangle, but this time it was bigger and thicker. The design was exactly the same as hers but this one had a black rhodium finish in the centre rather than rose gold.

"Put it on me?" he asked.

"Okay." She took the bigger bangle and put it around his left wrist as well.

They placed their wrists side-by-side, their matching bangles glinting in the light.

"Why matching ones?" she asked. "You really like matching things, don't you? You made us wear matching outfits on our first date and now you got us this matching bangles."

He smiled, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "These are called couple's bracelets…well, in this case I got us bangles instead."

"For what reason?"

"To commemorate our relationship, baby. And they also serve as concrete symbols and proof that we're together."

"Oh. Just like wedding rings. But without the marriage."

His smile widened, his gaze on her becoming more intense. "Yes, baby. Just like wedding rings. You like them?"

"Yes. Thank you." She leaned forward and gave a lingering peck on his lips.

Jin Liwei wanted more, to kiss her more deeply, but controlled his d.e.s.i.r.e instead before he lost control of it. He didn't want her to push him away again. He didn't want her getting angry at him. This was such a sweet moment. He didn't want to ruin it because of his insatiable hunger for her. And besides, he was realizing that these light touches and gentle gestures of intimacy could actually feel even more sensual than their usual intense kissing and touching.

The kiss ended.

He inwardly sighed.

She studied the engraving on her bangle.

"What's LX?" she asked. "The Roman numeral 60? Is 60 important? Oh, my initials? Long Xiulan?"

"Not 60, baby. You can also consider it as your initials. But it's actually both of our initials. LX is for Liwei and Xiulan."

"Oh."

"I commissioned a Canadian jewelry designer to make it for us while I was in Toronto. Good thing she finished it in time."

"I see." In a good mood, she held his hands. "Tell me what you want."

"Hm?" He didn't know what she meant.

"You gave me this beautiful bangle. I also want to give you something."

His mouth curved into a teasing smile. "Baby, I only want you."

She frowned. "That's not what I mean. What gift do you want to receive from me?"

"I already answered. I only want you, baby. You're more than enough to make me happy."

She pursed her lips, but inside a warm and nice feeling flowed all over, making her feel good. But she continued to ask him. "Would you like a watch? Shoes? New car…no, I'm not going to buy you a car. Hmm… This is actually hard. My boyfriend is a billionaire and I don't know what to give him. You can literally buy whatever you want."

"Don't overthink. Whatever you give me, I'll surely like."

"Hmm…" Iris ignored him, continuing to think of what return gift to get him while stroking her new bangle.

Jin Liwei tested his luck and scooted nearer her, cautiously wrapping his arms around her. He released a breath of relief when she didn't push him away. He kissed her forehead and released her.

"Why don't you lie down again and I'll continue to massage you?" he suggested.

"Oh, okay. Thanks."

He poured massage oil on his hands, rubbing them together, and began massaging her again like how the housekeeper taught him earlier. He made sure to monitor her expression. He would immediately lighten his touch whenever she showed even just a tiny hint of discomfort.

"I don't want to get you something that you can easily buy for yourself," she told him. "How about this? If you have a major need for a hacker―" She coughed. "I mean, for a 'computer expert', then just call me. I won't charge you. But only for one time, okay? If you need me more than once, you'll have to pay. But since you're my boyfriend, I'll give you a small discount. I'm expensive, you know."

He chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?! You think I'm joking?! Jin Liwei, are you looking down on me?!!!"

He immediately froze, mentally cursing himself for being careless. "No, baby. I was actually agreeing with you. Don't be angry."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll never look down on you," he said. Not ever again. He already made that stupid mistake before of judging her character too early before personally knowing her.

Lmre Xapifr jfl rmj val jmqfr. Art lvu jfl ovu qmlo fqfxare jmqfr vu vft usuz quo ar val iadu. Svu jfl val. Art vu jfl vuzl. Hu jmpit lvmj vuz frt nzmsu om vuz ovfo tulnaou md fii ovu ovarel ovfo vfnnurut ar ovu nflo, ovuw guimreut omeuovuz.

"Mmn…'kay," she murmured.

He massaged her until she fell asleep. Then he put the boxes of c.o.n.d.o.ms in the drawers of their bedside table. He already discarded all the ones with weird flavours. There was no way he was going to use the chili pepper one. What was his butler thinking?

When he was done, he turned off all the lights and climbed under the covers beside his sleeping baby girl. Only the dim golden lights from the wall-mounted waterfall fountain remained.

He carefully pulled his Xiulan in his arms. Sighing in satisfaction, he fell asleep.

.

.

.

White mist was everywhere. There was no direction. No up or down, left or right. It was just endless white mist.

She walked on without stopping, neither fast nor slow. Her footsteps were even and regular, almost mechanical in how uniform they were. Her body moved on its own accord, feeling nothing.

Her eyes were blank. So was her mind.

Who was she?

She had no idea.

Where was she going?

She didn't know.

So she walked nonstop because that was the only thing she was capable of. She didn't even notice whether she was still breathing or not.

Was she even alive? What was being alive?

"…aby..."

On she walked.

"...ba...by…"

Hm? She paused. What was that? The silence in this place of mist felt absolute. When she didn't hear anything more, she resumed walking.

"…baby girl...please…wake up…"

Suddenly, her unfeeling body started hurting. Cold permeated her bones, making her shake violently without control.

"…baby…Baby!"

Izal jfl bmiout fjfcu, eflnare dmz gzufov. Io duio iacu ovuzu jfl lmquovare nprhvare vfzt dzmq arlatu vuz h.v.u.l.o zunufoutiw ozware om ulhfnu. Svu lvmmc fii msuz, tzurhvut ar vuz mjr hmit ljufo.

"Are you awake? Baby, answer me! Please don't scare me like this."

Jin Liwei held his shaking girlfriend in his arms. She felt ice-cold to the touch. He could even hear the sound of her teeth chattering. Fear and worry gripped his heart as he checked her. When he saw her eyes finally open, he felt relieved.

"Baby, talk to me. Can you tell me what happened?"

She was still feeling foggy, her mental state flitting between dream and reality. She wanted to move but her body felt heavy. It wasn't listening to her. She was shaking so hard, as if her body wanted to squeeze and toss her out of it. There was a feeling of disconnection between herself and the body.

Jin Liwei continued to talk to her even when she was unresponsive. He rubbed her back and arms, trying to warm her cold body up.

Finally, her body gradually calmed down. Jin Liwei's voice soothed her, and it felt like it was her only connection to the real world. It felt like she could fall back into that dream at any moment and never return.

This was the second time that she experienced this. What was going on? She began to feel afraid. What would happen if this became a regular occurrence? Would she still be able to wake up next time?

"Just a dream…it was just a dream…" she mumbled to herself, chanting it over and over, convincing herself that there was no need to feel afraid.

"Yes, baby. It was only a dream. Don't worry. You're okay."

She finally realized that she was in Jin Liwei's arms. "Liwei…darling…"

"I'm here, baby. I won't leave you."

She buried herself in his c.h.e.s.t, wrapping her arms around him so tight, making sure that he was real. That he was there with her. That she wasn't dreaming anymore.

Her tight embrace hurt, but he didn't complain. He just rubbed her back gently, trying to relax her. "Are you feeling better now?"

He felt her nod.

"Good girl," he said, kissing the top of her head.

She stiffened and then pushed him away. The memory of her previous nightmare rushed in her mind. It was as if she could hear many voices shrieking "Good girl! Good girl!" at her again.

"Never call me 'good girl' ever again! Never! I don't want to hear those words again! Do you understand?! I hate 'good girl'!"

He was confused at her sudden outburst, but when she started gasping for breath again, he panicked. "Yes, yes. I'll never call you 'good girl' again. Baby, tell me what's happening. You're scaring me. Please…" He hugged her, trying to calm her down again.

Iris had no idea how much time passed, but Jin Liwei knew from the clock that it had been more than an hour since she woke up.

When she calmed down again, she felt exhausted. Jin Liwei already wiped the sweat from her body, so she knew that the wet feeling on her lower body wasn't sweat. She sighed.

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"Alright." He climbed off the bed and then carried her princess-style to the bathroom. He saw the big bloodstain on the bed sheets and on her pyjama pants but didn't comment. However, he wondered if it was normal for women on their period to bleed so much.

Inside the bathroom, he carefully set her down. She was still shaky, but pushed him out of the door. He didn't want to leave her, mentally debating whether to listen to her request or to insist on staying with her. In the end, he remembered his Second Brother's advice on the phone earlier. He shouldn't add to his girlfriend's stress. Reluctantly, he left her alone in the bathroom after delivering a clean set of clothing to her. He made sure to leave the door ajar so that he could come instantly if she needed him.

Jin Liwei was bone-tired from not having enough rest from his trip. However, all thoughts of sleep already flew out of his mind with her current worrying condition.

The bathroom door finally opened. Iris looked extremely pale. Huge drops of sweat dripped down her face. She was holding on to the door frame.

"Baby?"

"Liwei…I…"

She collapsed.

"Baby!" He caught her before she could hit the floor. "Xiulan, baby? Wake up! Baby, please. No no no. This is not happening."

Hu duio ouzzadaut. Wvw tat lvu immc lm iaduiull? Hu hvuhcut vuz npilu frt vuz gzufovare. Hu jfl zuiausut ovfo lvu jfl loaii fiasu, gpo vuz saofil luuqut jufc.

He carried her to the bed and called Dom on the phone. Dom's voice sounded sleepy when he answered. Jin Liwei had no time to explain, immediately instructing the assistant to quickly prepare a car to drive her boss to the hospital.

The entire household was awoken by Dom's wailing. Both he and Yi Mei found Jin Liwei carrying their unconscious Young Miss out of the bedroom to the living area.

Yi Mei completely lost it. She charged forward and hit Jin Liwei with her fists while crying. "You devil! What did you do to the Young Miss?! I knew it! You're no good! If something happens to the Young Miss, I'll kill you! I swear that even if I'm cursed by the heavens, I'll kill you!"

"Grandma Yi Mei, please stop!" Dom pulled the raging housekeeper away.

"We need to get Xiulan to the hospital. Quickly!" He didn't have the time or the energy to care about the housekeeper. All his mind was focused on his baby girl.

Everyone moved swiftly. Just moments later, they were on their way to the hospital.

.

.

.

.

On the road.

Inside the car.

It was still dark outside, only a few minutes past 3 AM.

The driver drove under pressure to reach the hospital as quickly as possible. Fortunately, it was still too early and only a few cars were on the road.

Dom sat on the front passenger seat while Jin Liwei cradled Iris in his arms at the backseat. Yi Mei had to be left behind because she was too distressed and would probably continue to attack Jin Liwei again if given the chance.

Iris finally regained consciousness. However, she still looked pale and extremely weak.

"Baby!"

"Boss!" Dom was sobbing, his eyes and nose were red and swollen.

Jin Liwei kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

She was in a state of confusion, so she stayed quiet and didn't reply to him. When her mind cleared a bit, she focused on Jin Liwei's face.

"Liwei…"

"Yes, baby. I'm here."

Her eyes looked sad and shiny. Then she whispered, "Are you going to cage me too?"

He didn't understand.

"Tell me." She grabbed his arm, her grip weak. "Are you like them? Are you going to restrict me too? Imprison me? Are you?"

He didn't know who "them" were. Was she talking about the Longs? Maybe this was why she was estranged with them?

He suspected that she was in some sort of a delirious state but he didn't want to agitate her any further, so he answered honestly.

"I want to," he said.

Her face dropped. Her eyes went blank. It looked as if the world ended based on her expression alone. Her hand on his arm dropped down limply.

"But I can't," he added. He gently swept a lock of hair from her forehead and then cupped the side of her face, silently urging her to look in his eyes. "I want to keep you all to myself, to be the only important existence in your life. But I can't. You are too magnificent. It will be a grave sin to deprive the world from witnessing your brilliance. You are born to shine, Long Xiulan."

He leaned forward and gave a light kiss on her cold lips. "If you want to fly, I'll fly with you. But I have my limits. When I can't fly with you because of these limits, you go ahead and fly as far and as high as you can. But please, I beg you, always come back to me. You can do whatever you want, but don't forget to come back to me when you're done."

Tears flowed down her face. She shakily pulled his head towards her and kissed him.

This man…she hoped that he was true.

She nuzzled against the crook of his neck. She still felt unwell, but his words somehow soothed her. Moments later, she fell asleep.

###

In a big, private hospital.

Same luxurious hotel-like room where Iris stayed when she was comatose a year ago.

It was taking all of Dr. Ching's effort to maintain a professional expression on his face as he explained his patient's condition to the most powerful man in the country's business world at the moment. He couldn't believe that he was meeting CEO Jin.

This was THE Jin Liwei, President-CEO of Jin Corporation! And the man was wearing his pyjamas! What was more, the CEO was with a woman Dr. Ching would think to be the last person the business leader would be with.

"Miss Long's outward physical condition is mostly recovered. However, her immune system is still very vulnerable," he explained to the cold-faced man in front of him. "It has only been a year since she woke up from coma after all. Any sudden change or intense stimulus may trigger a collapse of her constitution. In this case, I would say that due to acc.u.mulated exhaustion, stress, and perhaps experiencing unfamiliar situations within a short period of time resulted in extreme hormonal imbalances. This may explain her unusual heavy menstrual bleeding which then resulted to her current anemic condition. This is why she fainted. This kind of anemia should be temporary as long as she gets sufficient rest, continue her healthy lifestyle, and avoid too much stress. We will need to monitor her next menstrual cycles to determine whether this heavy bleeding is just a one-time thing or if this is a symptom of a more serious issue."

"I understand," Jin Liwei replied. "Please take care of Xiulan, Doctor."

"Of course. She is my patient and it's my duty as her doctor."

Jin Liwei nodded, and then looked at the pale girl currently sleeping on the bed. He reached down and stroked her cheek gently.

The doctor was dying with curiosity inside to know about the relationship between the two. From what the doctor was seeing in front of him, he could sense that the two were lovers. And were his eyes playing tricks on him or the two had matching bangles on their wrists? Coincidence that they had the same jewelry design?

Was that a tender look on the CEO's face? It was hard to tell because of the CEO's perpetual glacial expression. He wanted to ask so badly, but discretion was always an important part of his job and the reason why he was chosen by the wealthy to be their doctor.

Swallowing his curiosity, he performed a final check on Iris before excusing himself out of the room.

There were only the two of them left alone in the big hospital room. Dom was downstairs taking care of all the paperwork and paying for whatever needed to be paid.

Jar Lajua hfiiut val ojm lpgmztarfoul, frt ovuw fzzasut fo ovu vmlnaofi jaovar fr vmpz. Hu arlozphout ovuq om epfzt ovu nzasfou zmmq frt qfcu lpzu ovfo rmgmtw jfl lrmmnare fzmprt.

Jet lag and exhaustion were finally catching up to him. He could barely keep his eyes open. His body felt heavy. He carefully climbed beside his baby girl and pulled the blanket over both of them. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.