After speaking to her brother, Iris called Hou Liang next. They had been keeping in touch while she was at Cross Academy. She sent her financial manager, Qiao Yu, to connect with Hou Liang and provide the initial funds to set up their gaming company.
Qiao Yu reported to her that Hou Liang's friend, Wu Chen, was also an accountant. It was decided that he would become the company's CFO who would be in direct contact with Qiao Yu regarding the finances.
Hou Liang would be the CEO, while Iris would hold the titles of President and Owner. They all decided that Hou Liang would be the public face and leader of the company because he was the main game developer.
Iris wasn't really involved in the game development process, leaving everything to Hou Liang. Her main responsibility was to finance the company, provide manpower, connections, and other resources. Also as a better hacker than Hou Liang and the others, she was the last line of the company system's defence security. She had to make sure that the security was airtight.
The game development was going well. The company also moved to their own headquarters in a commercial building unit. It was small for now. Iris treated it as temporary. She was already on the look-out for a property that their company could wholly own.
She would meet with Hou Liang and Wu Chen in a few days to finally register their gaming company together.
"So have you thought of our company name yet?" Iris asked Hou Liang.
"Are you sure you don't want to name it yourself?"
"It's not that I don't want to, but I prefer if you're the one to name it. It's your game, after all."
"Yes, I have thought of a name."
He hesitated and took a few deep breaths. Then he said, "I decided that our company name will be Planet Monkey."
"Oh." Her eyebrows rose, but she nodded. "Not bad."
"What do you mean 'not bad'?" She heard another male voice interrupt on the phone. It was Wu Chen. "I have a much better suggestion but this guy refused! I want to whack him with my mighty slippers! So unimaginative!"
"What's your suggestion?" she asked, curious.
"I want to name the company I Eat Monkeys! It's so much better than plain Planet Monkey, don't you think? Right, boss?"
Iris blinked. "Alright, it's finalized. Our company name will be Planet Monkey. I'll call you again in a few days so that we can register the company."
"Understood," Hou Liang replied.
"Hey! Hey, boss! What about I Eat Monkeys—"
She hung up.
###
Bright Summit Entertainment Company.
Ever since Iris announced her return on her social media pages, some fans and members of the media camped outside the management company hoping to be the first ones to see and talk to her after her abrupt disappearance.
Iris together with Dom, Jiang Ying Yue and her other bodyguard sneaked inside Bright Summit. All of them were in disguise as some could already recognize Dom and the others as Iris' people, especially Dom who was always with her.
Fortunately, nobody recognized the usually elegant and stylish Iris in baggy sweats and a hoodie. The group was able to safely meet with Tang Yiyi inside her office.
"Oh Iris! I'm so glad to see you again!" Tang Yiyi exclaimed. "I've been so worried. Let me look at you. Good. You look healthy. Thank goodness! Come and sit down."
Tang Yiyi, Iris and Dom sat down. Jiang Ying Yue found a seat at a corner while her male colleague guarded outside the door.
After catching up, they discussed Iris' work schedule. Her main priority was to promote her upcoming soundtrack album immediately. This coming Friday, she would be performing at "MusicFest Tonight".
While they were talking, they heard a commotion outside the door. Jiang Ying Yue stood up and cautiously peeked outside. Her male colleague was trying to stop a group of young men from entering the office.
"Why did you come here so early? There's still one hour before our meeting!"
"Big Sis Yiyi, you always tell us not to be late. Now that we're early, you're scolding us. It's so hard to please you," a charming male voice replied.
Then a group of four attractive young men entered the office. Jiang Ying Yue and her male colleague attempted to stop them, but Iris gestured to her bodyguards that it was alright.
"Holy sh*t! Is that Iris Long?"
"It's Iris Long!"
"Ah, I'm finally meeting my goddess in person!"
The quietest one with lots of piercings on his ears and one on his nose stepped forward. He looked around and took a black marker from Tang Yiyi's desk. Then he handed it to Iris, turned around and squatted in front of her.
"I'm a fan. Please sign."
"Of course," Iris replied, looking unfazed by the situation. She signed the young man's white shirt.
The others took turns getting autographs from her. One also wanted his shirt signed but the other two grabbed sheets of paper from Tang Yiyi's desk and had Iris sign them instead.
"Sorry about this, Iris. This group of rowdy hellions are the newest artists the company has assigned to me. They're your juniors," Tang Yiyi explained to her, sighing while massaging her temples.
"Please take care of us, Senior Iris!"
"Wow. You're even more beautiful in person. You're so hawt!"
"Behave or I'll kick you out!" Tang Yiyi threatened. Then she finally introduced them to Iris.
The four were members of a rock band called Pandemonium. All of them were good-looking and had undeniable individual charisma that many girls and young women found attractive.
The first one was Blaze, the vocalist. He was a former child actor who retired when he hit puberty. He was very expressive from his voice to his face and his gestures.
Second was the lead guitarist and the most attractive among them, Eros. He was like seduction personified. He had an unexplainable feminine quality to him but he was also oozing in masculinity. He was the type who could seduce all genders and any sexuality.
The next one was the bass guitarist, Night. He was the one who asked Iris for an autograph first. He was quiet and brooding, looking very much like a dangerous bad boy.
All four of them also worked as models in addition to playing as a rock band. However, their biggest passion was music so they wanted to focus more on their band rather than on modelling. They were included in the new artists that Bright Summit was promoting especially after both Iris and Jin Chonglin took a break.
"Iris, they'll also perform at 'MusicFest Tonight' this Friday," Tang Yiyi informed her. "You boys, make sure to learn from your senior and not cause any trouble."
"Wow! Goddess Iris is also performing? Awesome! I can't wait! Don't worry, Big Sis Yiyi! We'll be good boys! We'll do our best to impress our beautiful senior!"
After chatting a bit more, Iris and her group left Bright Summit. The young men tried to persuade her to stay a bit more but Tang Yiyi scolded them.
Inside the executive van, Iris continued to think about the four young men. Although she was considered their senior, they were actually all around the same age in their early twenties. Actually, except for the youngest Thunder who was only eighteen, the other three were slightly older than her.
"Dom, get me all of Pandemonium's music," she instructed, feeling curious about them.
"No need, boss. I have their debut album. I'm actually a fan of theirs because they're all so hot and yummylicious, especially Eros. Ehehe."
Dom handed her his phone. Iris listened to all of the songs from the band's debut album. She returned the phone to Dom after she was finished.
"Hmmm. Not bad. Great vocals, very distinctive. Can be strong or gentle. Musicality is good. Lyrics are excellent, the best part of their music, in my opinion. But their playing is too rough and scattered. They're able to convey their emotions in the music well, though. Overall, a good band with lots of potential."
In short, she liked them as musicians. She sank into deep thought, thinking about the possibilities.