880 Perfect Balance

"You don't like the two of them together?" Jin Liwei asked after noticing his baby girl's silence.

"It's not that," Iris whispered, shaking her head. "I'm just worried about my brother's relationship with Big Sister Jinjing. You should now have an idea about what kind of group my big brother created. Shadow Winds is…not typical to say the least."

"I know."

Silence.

Jin Liwei gave her legs a gentle pat before announcing, "Alright, that's enough worrying about others. Your brother and Long Jinjing are already adults. They know what they're doing when they decided to be together. You already have enough on your plate as it is with your pregnancy, our upcoming wedding, your remaining work and everything else that you put in your never-ending to-do list. I don't want you to stress so much about others right now. I want you to focus on your own health and that of our babies', okay?"

The corners of her mouth curved up. "Okay."

"Good."

She removed her legs from his lap and straightened her back. Her expression now became more serious. "Now let's discuss Bright Summit."

"En."

"We need to work fast about this matter, darling. Brother Chonglin is currently in a limbo. It won't be good for him if this takes too long, especially now that he's in the headlines. People will put more pressure on him. Some are even starting to criticize him and accusing him of being too greedy for not accepting Bright Summit's generous offers."

"Oh oh oh, Ketchup wants to speak! May the cute and mighty me interrupt Mommy and Daddy's important conversation? Meow~"

"Go ahead," Jin Liwei said.

"Thanks, Daddy! Love ya~" Ketchup made a couple of loud kissing noises before grinning like the Cheshire Cat. "Can Ketchup mobilize the Slippers Army to troll those who're falsely accusing Uncle Lin Lin of being an ungrateful and greedy bastard? Oopsie daisy! Uh oh! Ketchup said a bad word! Sorry! Meowuwuwu!"

"It's fine this time," Jin Liwei assured his overdramatic but extremely adorable AI daughter. "Continue what you're saying."

Iris chuckled in amusement but at the same time felt proud of her AI children's trolling skills. "Do what you want. But be careful not to bring trouble to your Uncle Chonglin."

"Yipee! Aye aye, Mommy! Ketchup can't wait! Bacooooooooooon, where are yoooouuu? Let's do something fun—I mean, let's defend our Uncle Lin Lin's honour and reputation! How dare those poopoos badmouth a member of our happy family?! Let's go, avocado! Meow~"

The black cat appeared in an instant beside his sister Ketchup who was jumping up and down in excitement like usual. Bacon's stone face looked bored as always but his tail was already rotating like a helicopter's rotor blades. 

"Yay! You're here, Bacon! Ketchup missed you so much, even if you're a big meanie! Meow~"

Bacon ignored her. "Hello, Mother and Father. Bacon is back from Shadow Winds."

"How was it?" Iris asked. "Are you having fun?"

"Yes, Mother. The work is not boring."

She smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

Bacon turned his glowing golden eyes to Jin Liwei. "Father, Bacon is working very hard. My skills have already improved a great deal. Can Father help Bacon negotiate a salary raise or perhaps a bonus? Uncle Zihao rejected my request. I don't understand why."

Jin Liwei's mouth twitched. This little money-grubber. All the kid thought about was salary. He only started working for his Uncle Zihao yesterday and he was already asking for a raise.

Iris burst out laughing. "Darling, I think this part of Bacon's personality came from Big Sister Jinjing. They're so much alike when it comes to money!" Then she realized something. Her eyes widened. "Oh!"

"Hm? What is it, love?"

She grabbed his arm. Wonder filled her expression. "Bacon inherited his personality from both my big brother and Big Sister Jinjing. Doesn't that make him more like their child than ours? Especially now that the two of them are in a relationship."

Jin Liwei scowled. "No way. Bacon is our child. Nobody else's."

"Father is right, Mother," the black cat AI agreed in a solemn voice. His rotating tail also slowed down. "Bacon is Mother and Father's child. Nobody else's."

"Ah." Iris looked at the two before nodding. "Indeed, you are father and son. It seems like Bacon also got a bit of your personality, darling. It's just not that noticeable."

Jin Liwei's expression appeared better after she said that. He smiled and nodded in satisfaction.

"The cute and mighty Ketchup inherited Mommy and Daddy's best points, too! Ketchup got Mommy's extraordinary beauty and Daddy's outstanding coolness! Uncle Dom said so~ Ehehe. Meow~"

Bacon rolled his golden eyes and started licking his paws in boredom. "Are we meeting with the Slippers Army yet? You called me here to defend Uncle Chonglin's reputation but you're still dilly-dallying. What are we still waiting for? I can't wait to destroy some bad people."

"Bacon, tone it down a little," Iris reminded him. "You'll get your Uncle Chonglin and the Black Stars into trouble if you don't control your destructive instincts."

"Don't worry, Mommy! Ketchup will look after Bacon and make sure that he's being a good kitty baby just like the cute and mighty me! Meow~"

Jin Liwei nodded in approval. The AI siblings were a perfect balance to each other. Ketchup was responsible enough to help keep Bacon's destructive instincts in check while Bacon always remained coolheaded whenever Ketchup's emotions got the better of her. Both were dependable in their own way. Indeed, they were his and his baby girl's children. No doubt about it.