Chapter 1659: That’s How We Do It in the Philippines

Orchidia Philippines launched with great success. It was only the first day, but the sales alone had already surpassed internal projections, both in-store and online.

It was a good thing that they had enough inventory. It would have been better if Orchidia had local factories so that running out of inventory would no longer be a potential issue in the future, at least in the Philippines. They could drive down the local prices as well, becoming more competitive against the other brands, whether local or foreign. That was the plan for the future, anyway. For now, they should focus on maintaining this initial success and reinvesting the profits back into the company.

Everyone was excited, most especially Iris Long and Linda Chua.

The two female business leaders stood side by side, facing their families and company staff. All the others had left already.

There was a light drizzle outside. The sky was also starting to darken. The atmosphere inside the company building, however, was as bright as the sun.

Iris Long beamed while sweeping her eyes across everyone. "Congratulations to all of us! This is our success. Thank you for all your hard work! As long as you're diligent and work hard, Orchidia will take care of you. Each and every single one of you has the chance to climb the career ladder as long as you have the guts and perseverance to do your best. Great job, everyone! I expect great things from you!"

Everyone cheered.

The grand launch was exhausting for all the staff, but it was worth it. Well, it felt like it was worth it even for them, the regular staff members.

Linda Chua spoke next. "Chairman, no, 'Chairwoman' Iris Long told me that she's very happy about our sales today. She has promised to give everyone a bonus on payday from her own pocket. I hope that—"

All of the staff cheered even louder, not waiting for their head to finish speaking. Some even started jumping in excitement.

"—everyone will continue to work hard and help me make Orchidia Philippines one of the most successful companies in the country. As you can see, our chairwoman tends to be extremely generous whenever she's pleased. Our aim is to please her all the time. Don't you think so, everyone?"

"Yeah! Chairwoman Iris Long is the best!"

"The best!"

Linda chuckled. "No, actually, I made a mistake. Our number one aim is to make Orchidia Philippines a great success all the time. It's only through this that we'll be able to please our dear chairwoman."

"True." Iris nodded while smiling.

She had been about to correct Linda's words earlier. Fortunately, Linda had corrected herself before Iris did.

It would be a big headache if Linda insisted on making her staff believe that the company's main priority should be to please her, Iris Long, their chairwoman. The company would no longer be a business but a personal distraction—no, even worse, a personal burden instead.

Iris wanted Orchidia Philippines and the other international divisions to operate independently from the mother company. This was the only way for an emerging multinational company to truly grow, prosper, and succeed.

Micromanaging everything by herself was not only counterproductive but would also cut into precious quality time that she could spend with her family. After all, she was now a devoted wife and mother. Her family would always remain her main priority.

Seemingly knowing what she was thinking, Linda gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Iris. Leave Orchidia Philippines to me. I'll make sure to make it into a successful independent company without needing you to babysit it all the time. It's now my baby, too, you know?"

"I know, Linda. I trust you." Iris patted the woman's shoulder.

The two smiled at each other.

After leaving the night-duty cleaners to tidy up the place, everyone finally left.

Iris' group said goodbye to the Chua family. The two groups separated.

Everyone was exhausted from the grand launch. They unanimously agreed to hold the celebratory dinner another time when everyone wasn't dog-tired.

Iris' group returned to their hotel to rest a bit and change outfits. After a while, they all headed to Dina Bendita's house for dinner.

Tonight was not an ideal time to accept a dinner invitation, but it was already the best time, especially for Iris, who had a tight schedule.

Inside the vehicle, Jin Liwei asked in a tone filled with concern, "Are you sure that you're fine?"

She patted his cheek before finding a more comfortable position in his arms. "Yes, I'm tired, but I'm also looking forward to dining with my fellow judges. Besides, I want to meet Mr. Albert's wife, Virginia."

"This is my first time meeting her, too," Dom chimed in. "I'm so excited! She's my favourite Filipino singer. But of course, my favourite singer ever is Boss. Hehehe."

Iris couldn't help but chuckle. She felt a brush of lips on her forehead. Tilting her head upwards, the warm lips landed on her own lips. "Mmn."

"Tell me if you're tired," Jin Liwei said. "I don't mind playing the villain and cutting the dinner short. Can't let my precious wife exhaust herself."

She chuckled again before resting her head on her husband's chest. Her eyes closed. In no time, her breathing deepened into a steady rhythm.

Everyone quietened down to allow her a restful nap.

###

"Welcome to my humble home. Please come in." Dina Bendita, supported by a female teenager, personally greeted Iris' group at the front door.

Iris hugged the older woman before handing her a basket of fruits. "Thank you for welcoming us, Madam Dina."

"Hey, I'm here, too!" Albert Alcala appeared with a beautiful middle-aged woman standing beside him.

Everyone greeted each other.

Iris and Jin Liwei's group entered the house.

Dina Bendita called it a "humble home", but there wasn't anything humble about it. The mansion was huge. Everything about it looked classic and luxurious. There was an air of old-money elegance in the place.

Dom had mentioned that Dina Bendita didn't come from wealth. She had painstakingly built her own legacy for six decades in the industry. It wasn't odd at all that she lived in a big, luxurious mansion with her family. With all her contributions to the domestic music industry, she definitely deserved all of these and more.

Someone grabbed Iris' hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "I've been looking forward to meeting you, Iris. I'm Virginia Velasco-Alcala. This guy here is my husband."

Albert Alcala grinned and pointed at himself. "That's me! Aren't I lucky to have such a wonderful wife?"

"Indeed, you are," Iris replied to him before saying to his wife, "I've also been looking forward to meeting you in person. I've listened to some of your songs, thanks to my best friend here."

"That's me! Hehehe." Dom grinned and introduced himself to Virginia Velasco.

"Yes, I've heard about that," Virginia said. "I can't believe that someone like you would listen to my songs, Iris."

"What do you mean? Your voice is one of my favourites that I've ever listened to," Iris said.

She wasn't just saying it just to flatter the other woman. She truly felt that way. Virginia Velasco was one of the best technical singers that Iris had ever listened to in both of her lives. The quality of her voice was top-tier.

Perhaps the only thing limiting Virginia was her lack of ability to compose her own songs. She needed someone else to make songs for her that suited her voice. Fortunately, she met her husband, Albert Alcala, one of the best contemporary composers in the Philippines. The two of them had created some of the best Original Pilipino Music (OPM) the country had ever witnessed. Their legacy as a duo was already recorded and still being recorded in Filipino music history, for sure.

"Thank you," Virginia said. "How nice of you to say that. But you know, I should be the one saying those words. I can't believe there's a voice like yours in the world. And so young, too! I remember when I was your age, my range wasn't as versatile as yours."

"Don't be too modest, Virginia," Dina interrupted. "You were already at the top of our country's music industry when you were in your twenties."

"How about we have a jam session later?" Iris suggested.

Everyone's eyes lit up.

Virginia: "Yes, absolutely! I've been wanting to sing with you."

Albert: "I can't wait."

Dina: "Oh, my. I'll have someone prepare the music room, then."

After making this decision, Dina led everyone to the dining area. She also introduced the rest of her family to Iris and Jin Liwei's group.

"This, here, is my one and only granddaughter," Dina said while patting the teenager supporting her.

"Nice to meet you, Boss Iris," the teenager greeted, looking a little shy. "I'm a huge fan of yours. I'm one of the first members of Black Stars Philippines. I also dragged my brothers and cousins to join the fan club."

"Boss Iris, hi!"

"Whoa, a beauty!"

"Kyaaaaah! Boss Iris in the flesh!"

Dina and her children sighed at the sight. However, they still allowed Iris to interact with the young people in their family while wearing indulgent smiles. They watched as Iris signed autographs and took photos with the young people.

Even Jin Liwei and Dominic Chua got dragged into it as well. It seemed that Iris Long's husband and Filipino best friend-slash-assistant were both popular in the fan club.

"Alright, everyone." Dina clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "It's time for dinner."

Everyone agreed.

True to the Filipino style, dinner was buffet style. Iris' eyes widened as she saw Dina Bendita had apparently invited a catering service. In addition to the long buffet table, there were several booths featuring a variety of food and drink businesses.

"Miss Dina endorses those businesses," Virginia came up and whispered to Iris. "They come whenever she hosts parties. It's a win-win situation for both her and the businesses. That's how we do it here in the Philippines."

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