Gold Heights Condominium.
The mouth-watering smell of bacon and eggs permeated the kitchen. Everyone sat around the kitchen island while the cook and Yi Mei served them food.
Iris and Jin Liwei sat together on one side. Dom and Meimei sat on the other side. Their nonstop chatter livened up the atmosphere. Meimei regularly slept over whenever she had no classes.
Jiang Ying Yue sat on another side with her one-year old son, Long Jun. The child sat on a high chair. A nanny was beside them. Everyone in the penthouse immediately fell in love with the toddler when they saw him for the first time. He looked a lot like his father, Long Hui.
Because Jiang Ying Yue lived quite far from the penthouse, Iris arranged for a two-bedroom unit for her and her son right in the same condo building. Jiang Ying Yue tried to decline the offer, knowing that she could never afford the price of living in this wealthy area.
But Iris told her, "Don't decline. It's not for you. I already bought it as a gift for my first nephew. The unit is under Little Jun's name and will be officially transferred to him once he reaches the age of majority. And it's more convenient that you move here so that you can come quickly whenever I need you."
Jiang Ying Yue didn't have any reason to reject Iris' generous offer, especially since it was all for her son.
"I also arranged for a nanny to care for Little Jun when you're working," Iris added. "The nanny's salary is paid for by my brother."
Jiang Ying Yue opened her mouth to protest but Iris raised her hand to stop her.
"If you have any objections about him paying for his son's nanny, go talk to him," Iris said. "Like I said before, your relationship with my brother is none of my business. I won't tell you what to do, but don't forget that my brother is your son's father. I'm also your son's aunt. All we want is the best for Little Jun. But of course, you're the mother so we'll respect your decisions regarding your own child."
In the end, Jiang Ying Yue decided to accept the siblings' offers. After all, they were all for her son. Iris' words managed to penetrate through her pride. Despite this, she still felt a little resistant to accepting help from other people. She felt that she could do everything by herself as long as she worked hard enough.
Her relationship with Long Hui was a big mistake, but the fruit of their mistake was the biggest blessing in her life. She would never regret giving birth to her son, Long Jun. Her son completed her existence. She still didn't want to have anything to do with Long Hui, but she could never deny the fact that he was her son's father. Iris was able to make her realize that she shouldn't deprive her son the opportunity to be provided for by his own father. She still didn't like it, but she would stop resisting so strongly because this was for her son's sake.
Back to the present, Jiang Ying Yue silently observed everyone. She was surprised by the warmth in this household. While she was still working as Long Hui's bodyguard, she often heard the various Long family members disparaging the Young Miss Xiulan. But she could see nothing of that sort here.
Iris had been very generous to her ever since she started working for her, especially to Little Jun. The penthouse was basically her son's home. He would spend the entire day here being doted upon by everyone. Their two-bedroom unit a few floors down was just a place to sleep. She worried a little that her son was being spoiled too much, but as a mother, she didn't have the heart to tell them to stop.
She looked at her new boss and the man sitting beside her. She frequently caught them staring into each other's eyes as if they were the only ones present in the world.
It was only because of her training as a bodyguard that was letting Jiang Ying Yue maintain an impassive expression on her face. The first time she saw Jin Liwei in the penthouse was a few days after she was hired. She immediately recognized him because she worked as Long Hui's bodyguard for a few years. Long Hui was the heir of Long Industries. She often accompanied him to business meetings and events, so she was familiar with some of the key figures in the business world, especially someone as powerful as Jin Liwei.
She wondered what business the President-CEO of Jin Corporation had with her boss that he went out of his way to personally go to the penthouse. Then she learned that the two were in a relationship. They were even living together! She was so shocked that she questioned whether she was hallucinating or not.
Now a few weeks later, she was starting to get used to the possibility that her boss could be the next madam of Jin Corporation. Even she could see that the feelings between the lovers were real, especially Jin Liwei's.
Jiang Ying Yue's thoughts were interrupted by the crying of her child.
"What's wrong, Junie boy?" Dom asked.
Jiang Ying Yue checked. "His diaper just needs to be changed. Please excuse us."
Iris nodded.
Jiang Ying Yue left carrying Little Jun in her arms, the nanny following them.
"Big Brother Liwei, what are you reading?" Meimei asked.
Jin Liwei was reading the newspaper while they ate breakfast.
Unlike Jiang Ying Yue, Meimei didn't recognize Jin Liwei when she first met him as Iris' boyfriend. Or more specifically, she didn't know him in the first place. She had no interest in the corporate world. Iris' words when she visited the Long ancestral residence stuck with her. She believed Iris when she said that her boyfriend was just a "regular businessman" who was "no one special".
Even when Dom told her that Jin Liwei was the head of the number one company in the country, she didn't feel excited or amazed. To her, a company was a company. In other words, boring.
Jin Liwei showed the girl the page he was reading. It was the entertainment section. The headlines were all about Iris.
"Iris Long: the Newly Crowned Queen of the Music Charts!"
"Iris Long's Upcoming Album 'Rebirth Melodies' Already Breaking Pre-order Records for an Instrumental Album!"
"Film Critic: 'Only an Indie Film With Low Budget Will Have the Guts to Appoint Someone Like Iris Long to Compose an Entire Film Score.'"
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