Chapter 373 - A Simple Life?

The raid in Mongolia was huge news for Interpol. Because it was such a big case with so many people involved and so much evidence, a special team was formed to specifically handle it. Every single person in the base was questioned, every single piece of equipment was checked, and every single lab note was studied.

It took a long time to go through everything, but eventually, after 4 months, Boginya was officially sentenced to life in prison without parole. Interpol tried all different methods to convince her into revealing more about The Organization, especially the names of her co-founders and other members. They even offered a reduced sentence, but of course, Boginya did not reveal a thing.

However, her capture spurred Interpol to place a higher priority on The Organization, and teams were quickly formed all around the world to take them down.

Meanwhile, after the initial assistance she provided, Halia did as promised and tried not to get involved with crime-fighting again. Instead, she focused on running her father's business and became especially involved in organizing their new advertising campaign.

Halia had a good eye for people. She spotted Avaleigh just before she made a comeback and immediately contacted Emerson. As they were family, Emerson naturally trusted Halia and signed Avaleigh as their new spokesperson straight away.

The day that their first commercial was broadcasted on television, it coincided with the first episode of Avaleigh's variety show. As they had hoped, the variety show was a huge success and Avaleigh was a hit.

She was easygoing, smart, friendly, and kind, and the nation immediately fell in love with her. The show naturally signed her on for another 50 episodes and her popularity quickly skyrocketed again.

At first, everyone was confused that she was endorsing an alcoholic product. It seemed to contradict her healthy lifestyle and image. But, a certain live stream that she did with Cleo one day clarified everything and changed everyone's views.

That day was the day that she officially renewed her contract with the show. "Hi everyone, I want to share some good news with all of you! I have just been signed on for another 50 episodes!" 

Hearts filled Avaleigh's phone screen as people started to click into her live stream.

"Ava, we love you! We're so happy that we get to see you on television now!"

"Ava, you were so adorable in the latest episode."

Avaleigh smiled as she saw the messages and likes.

"I'm here with my dietitian friend, Cleo. We are about to celebrate with a healthy dinner. But first, I want to raise a toast to all my supporters and thank each and every one of you for sticking by me and making all this possible," Avaleigh lifted a shot glass of clear liquid.

"What are you drinking, Ava?"

"Is that alcohol?"

Avaleigh looked at the questions and nodded her head. "This is the baijiu from Fengtai that I am currently endorsing."

"Isn't alcohol bad for you?"

"How can you endorse such a product?"

Avaleigh shook her head, "I don't condone underage or binge drinking, but I must clarify that baijiu has many health benefits when drunk in moderation."

Cleo nodded her head in agreement and stepped into the frame, "Just like red wine that has been proven to be good for the heart, baijiu contains various micronutrients that are good for speeding up blood circulation and improving the function of our cardiovascular and circulatory systems. Don't forget that Chinese liquor is the base for many Chinese medicines. We simply need to learn how to drink it in moderation."

Cleo then picked up a small shot glass of the liquid as well and clinked glasses with Avaleigh. "Let's all wish Avaleigh good luck for the future," she said before she drank the baijiu in one go. 

Avaleigh drank her glass as well and smiled, "That was the perfect amount to warm up the body. Now, let's get cooking..."

This live stream ignited a new baijiu craze in China. What was originally deemed as liquor for the rich and old, suddenly became hip and cool. Many health programs and radio shows invited experts to discuss the topic and many agreed that, when drank in moderation, baijiu did have some health benefits. Problems only arose when people binge drank, which was common at banquets and dinner parties.

Thus sparked a new appreciation for the liquor. People started to sit down and enjoy it slowly. Some bars even introduced c.o.c.ktail menus and some restaurants began to serve baijiu-infused food! The impression of the liquor completely changed, and Fengtai rose to the forefront of this new craze.

Trying to stay morally responsible, Halia came up with some new and innovative ideas for the brand. They released smaller bottle options to prevent excessive drinking and they designed a new range of collector bottles so people could display the liquor on their shelves without feeling the need to drink everything in one go. She also experimented with pre-made c.o.c.ktails and infusing flavors into their baijiu to give it a different taste.

She gave the company an entire facelift and it was a huge success!

In the blink of an eye, 7 months passed since Halia and Jackson first moved to Guiyang City. At first, it was hard for them to leave everything behind and adjust to a completely different lifestyle. But, as time passed, they slowly settled down and made this new life work for them. 

Halia even found herself enjoying the role that she had at Fengtai; something that she never imagined she'd enjoy.

Meanwhile, Jackson enjoyed his semi-retired life. Every now and then, he would call his various businesses around the world to make sure everything was running smoothly, but apart from that, he spent most of his time cooking dinner for his wife, keeping the house in order, and preparing for the arrival of their baby.

After decades of being undercover, he deserved a simple life.

"Don't worry, Big Bro, the casino is doing well. You don't have to worry about a thing," Emerson reassured over the phone as he spoke to Jackson. "Just enjoy your simple life..."

However...life could not remain simple forever...

Just as Jackson got off the phone with Emerson, his phone began ringing again. Jackson looked down at the caller ID and furrowed his brows. He hadn't spoken to this person in almost 7 months...

"Trisha? What's wrong?" he asked in a serious tone.

"Captain Wu, we have a situation..."