Chapter 19: Saving the Autistic Teenager 19

The host, surprised, took the phone and compared the woman in Ji Yu's work on the big screen.

"This..."

He glanced at Ji Yu, whose complexion looked terrible, then handed the phone to several judges for them to evaluate.

The female judge was the first to take it; upon seeing the photo, her expression fell instantly.

"Ji Yu, contestant, do you have anything else to say?"

Her tone was sharp, her eyes blazing.

"If I'm not mistaken, your painting should be a major reworking of Ji Yan's original piece, but no matter how you change it, a person's spirit cannot be altered."

Ji Yu's mind was already in utter disarray.

He even began to suspect that the painting in the room had been deliberately placed there by Ji Yan.

Otherwise, how could the photos have been prepared so timely!

They just wanted to embarrass me!

Amid the noisy jeers from below, Ji Yu lowered his head in shame, his resentment surging like a stormy sea.

Finally, he was stripped of the title of first place, and even blacklisted by the fine arts institute's students and fellow contestants, barred from any painting competition for ten years.

As for the path of art, he had essentially buried it with his own hands.

Ji Yan naturally became the first-place winner.

But he deferred the opportunity to study under the professor to the runner-up.

He entered the contest solely to fulfill his mother's expectations of him.

——

【Congratulations, Host, for completing the side quest. Reward points: 200】

Jin Chen almost carried Ji Yan off the stage.

As they left the venue, he only then noticed that the teenager's legs had gone weak, unable to walk, and up close he could feel the teen's violent heartbeat.

"sweetheart, relax."

He whispered soothingly, holding the person gently in his arms to calm them.

"The photo, Achen—how could it exist?"

Ji Yan looked at the photo on the phone, and tears welled up in his eyes without warning.

After Mother's death, Ji Weixue had almost discarded all her belongings, not even keeping a single portrait.

Whenever he missed Mother, he would go to that empty cemetery and sit there all night.

Because only there could he see Mother's photo.

"I had someone look up your mother's old social media," Jin Chen said, not hiding it from him for fear of misunderstanding.

"Will sweetheart blame me?"

Ji Yan lifted his gaze to him, red-eyed, shaking his head, his almond eyes full of reliance and joy.

"I don't blame Achen."

If it weren't for Jin Chen, he himself today might have made a mess of things.

After arriving home, the two had just entered the hall when they saw Uncle Liu standing with all the servants in the hall, the servants' faces showing doubt or obvious unease, as if they already knew something was about to happen.

Jin Chen's expression was indifferent as he led Ji Yan to sit down, his posture relaxed yet exuding nobility.

The teenager didn't know what had happened, but he sensed his shift in mood, obediently leaning against him without asking why.

He could now keep his composure in crowds, so Jin Chen didn't send him back to his room.

"Come on, tell me who belongs to Jin Tianhua."

Uncle Liu properly placed the locator on the table, glaring at the servants with anger.

"Who's in charge of the Jin family now? Don't you know? Taking Mr.'s salary to help others—have you all lost your minds!"

Ji Yan curiously picked up the locator, examining it closely at his fingertips.

Afterwards, he lifted his gaze to the servants, a fleeting darkness flashing in his eyes.

Jin Chen waited a few seconds; seeing no one admit it, he sat up straight nonchalantly, a chill emanating from the corners of his eyes.

"Not admitting it but being caught by me means it's not just a simple dismissal."

He paused, and in the silence his gaze shifted to the few guards who kept their heads down.

Sensing Jin Chen's oppressive gaze, Guard Liu Qiang finally begged for mercy.

"Sir, I was wrong! I just had a moment of bewilderment!"

He was a burly man, but with a dull temperament, usually keeping to himself and never interacting with others, always honest; Uncle Liu hadn't expected it to be him, and now he was utterly shocked.

Just thinking about it, Uncle Liu understood the crux.

"Could it be that you're doing this for your daughter?"

Liu Qiang's bloodshot eyes stared back; he nodded. "Yes, her surgery needs a lot of money. Old Master Jin found me and said I just needed to plant a locator—it wouldn't affect the master's safety—and he'd give me 500,000."

Jin Chen already knew the full story from 0731; he lifted his eyelids, his eyes devoid of warmth.

"I know it's you. Since you've admitted it, how about we make a deal?"

After saying that, he glanced at Uncle Liu, who immediately understood and led all the servants out of the hall.

For a moment, only three people remained in the hall.

Liu Qiang hadn't expected Jin Chen to still give him a chance; he happily lifted his head, casually wiped his face, and said, "Sir, please speak."

"I will cover all future medical expenses for your daughter; the deal is to infiltrate Ji Weixue's side, cooperate with a lawyer to find evidence of his spousal abuse leading to death, and hand it over to me."

Ji Yan suddenly sat up from Jin Chen's arms, his eyes filled with disbelief.

How did he know about this…?

"Be good, I'll tell you later." Jin Chen kissed the teenager's cheek, his tone suddenly turning gentle.

Liu Qiang lowered his head, not looking; he hadn't thought he could avoid losing this job. Jin Chen entrusting this matter to him also meant that Jin Chen had investigated him thoroughly...

He dared not refuse, and replied repeatedly, "I will obey your instructions."

Go on, the lawyer and Uncle Liu are waiting in the reception hall; they'll tell you what to do.

After Liu Qiang left, Ji Yan almost impatiently clung to Jin Chen, '... Ah Chen, how did you know?'

Jin Chen looked at the youth's eyes, brimming with curiosity, and the faint annoyance that had welled up in his heart vanished completely.

He despised betrayal, but the setting of this world and the original host's identity prevented him from acting without restraint.

Besides the main characters, the system cannot interfere with events not mentioned in the plot; after thinking it over, only Liu Qiang, whose background is as a former scout, is the most suitable.

'What I heard outside the hospital ward that day, sweetheart also didn't know to be on guard.'

Jin Chen's voice carried a smile, 'You knew I would find out this secret, right?'

The youth blushed, pressed his lips in a shy smile, then nestled into his embrace, cooing softly.

'Will there be evidence?'

Ji Weixue truly—will he receive the punishment he deserves?

Mother's tragic cries for help and the expansive bloodstains remained vivid in his mind; Ji Yan could hardly bring himself to recall them.

He wanted Ji Weixue to be punished, even wishing he would go down and apologize to Mother.

But now that he had met Jin Chen, Ji Yan suddenly lost the courage to stake everything.

He was no longer penniless, and he didn't want to lose the hard-won love he had finally gained because of his impulsiveness.

'Of course there will be; he couldn't possibly erase all traces.'

Jin Chen kissed Ji Yan's lips, 'Leave it to me.'

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -20, total 25, Heartbeat Value +5, total 95!】