Chapter 475 - New Engagemen
Dragon Palace Home #10.
On Friday, Iris and Jin Liwei surprisingly stayed at home, even though both of them had very busy work schedules. Iris didn't go to work at all, while Jin Liwei only went for half a day before returning home in the afternoon. As for Lu Zihao, he disappeared and reappeared at random times.
The fact that everyone was at home on a Friday, which was a workday, made Jiang Ying Yue suspect that something was going on that she wasn't aware of. Both Iris and Jin Liwei were workaholics (in a good way). Jiang Ying Yue knew that the two no longer had any day off after the weekend the girl squad and Jin Liwei's brothers gathered together at the mansion. Their schedule was full until the day they were scheduled to travel abroad. So why did the couple take a break from work today? It didn't make sense to her. They also wouldn't tell her anything. Even Dom remained tight-lipped.
She finally learned the reason why that afternoon. Iris, Jin Liwei, Jiang Ying Yue and Lu Zihao were lounging in the living area. It was only them. There were no subordinates watching over them this time. Dom was with Little Jun and the cats playing somewhere in the mansion. In the living area, Iris and the others were watching the TV when the afternoon news program started broadcasting.
Jiang Ying Yue froze at the next news report. It said:
"A representative of Long Hui, Deputy CFO and eldest son of President-CEO Long Tengfei of Long Industries, has released an official statement announcing his separation from his now former fiancée, Jiang Ying Yue, who is also the mother of his young son. No reason was provided for the break up as of this time. In the same announcement, his representative also shared delightful news of Deputy CFO Long Hui's engagement to…"
The news anchor reported that Long Hui was now engaged to an heiress from another wealthy family. This particular family was old and had aristocratic origin, just like the Longs. All the families involved in the engagement—the heiress' family, the Longs, and the Zhengs (Long Hui's maternal family)—were reportedly delighted by this "perfect match made in heaven". The news anchor continued the report, saying:
"For those of you who don't know, Deputy CFO Long Hui is the eldest half-brother of multi-award-winning musician Iris Long. His ex-fiancée, Jiang Ying Yue, is Iris Long's former bodyguard turned close friend. Iris has also confirmed in the past that their young son is her godson…"
Jiang Ying Yue wasn't able to hear the rest of the news report. Her mind had gone blank. It had only been three days since the night that she broke up with Long Hui, and yet he was already engaged to another woman? Her numbed heart gave a painful squeeze, but she didn't cry. She still loved him, but the hurt he had given were drowning all the love she had for him. She felt empty inside instead thinking about him.
"You knew about this?" she asked Iris.
"Yes," Iris replied, not denying it. "Ketchup informed me. She had been monitoring that man ever since the night he barged into Gold Heights and made trouble with you and Little Jun."
Without Iris instructing her to do so, Ketchup had automatically placed Long Hui in the virtual black notebook. That was why she started closely monitoring Long Hui's activities with the intention of finding incriminating evidence against him. The increasingly smarter cat AI did it based on her own judgment. Ketchup only informed Iris about it after Long Hui's name was already placed in the virtual black notebook.
Iris had no problem with it because she already planned on instructing Ketchup to do it anyway. After this event, however, Iris decided that she needed to perform regular full scans on Ketchup in order to understand and control the direction of her evolution.
Ketchup was increasingly becoming independent which was one of Iris' original goals in creating the AI in the first place. Thus, Iris didn't have any issues about Ketchup developing a distinct independent personality. However, Iris was concerned about Ketchup frequently bypassing her original permissions like what she did when she placed Long Hui's name on the virtual black notebook on her own. Iris didn't give Ketchup permission to modify the virtual black notebook in any way without her authorization first, but Ketchup did it anyway.
Iris already scolded Ketchup, like a mother lecturing her young child. Ketchup apologized for being a bad kitty and promised not to do it again without her mommy's permission. Iris was relieved hearing the virtual cat's promise, but it made her realize that she couldn't just leave Ketchup alone to learn things by herself. The advanced self-learning function that she developed was just too powerful. Who knew what kind of things Ketchup would randomly learn if left alone by herself?
The cat AI was like a child who needed direction and guidance. Iris informed Jin Liwei about it and both agreed to become stricter on Ketchup as if she was a real child.
Back to the present, Jiang Ying Yue just nodded at Iris. She didn't blame Iris or the others for keeping the information about Long Hui's new engagement from her. She understood that Iris must have wanted her to learn the news by herself and react on her own. Iris wasn't the type to soften blows or completely coddle a friend. However, she would be there to show her support. Just like now. She and Jin Liwei both took time off work, even though they were insanely busy.
"Thank you," Jiang Ying Yue told them.
Iris sighed softly and told her, "It's not over yet."
Right at that moment...
/p>"Meow~ Excuse me, Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Zihao and Auntie Ying Yue. Sorry to bother you but I have something important to report," Ketchup politely interrupted them.
Iris and Jin Liwei looked like they already know what was going on.
"Go ahead, Ketchup," Jin Liwei said.
"Thanks, Daddy! Meow~ Asking permission to display video surveillance from Gold Heights Condo building on the TV…"