CHAPTER 547: 215 AMAZING DISCOVERY

Actually, whether Yu Fuli is truly dead remains inconclusive.

But judging by the methods of the Yu family, the likelihood of survival is very slim.

The appearance of the jade token is undoubtedly a signal, something the Yu family cannot ignore.

First, they sent Xiang Chenyu to investigate, and then Yu Ruohuan followed with a warning.

Helian Yu smirked coldly in her heart—when it comes to ruthlessness, who can compare to the Yu family?

Watching Yu Ruohuan enter the hotel with her own eyes, Helian Yu rolled up the car window, her expression darkened.

"How’s the investigation going on Xiang Chenyu’s side?"

The assistant turned her head from the front passenger seat: "Miss Xiang has found Shen Li."

Shen Li.

Helian Yu abruptly raised her head.

The jade token investigation repeatedly leads back to this person.

However, there’s scarcely any information about him.

What’s stranger is that his files are sealed—without special-level clearance, they can’t be accessed.

If the mysteries surrounding Shen Li cannot be unraveled, the investigation cannot proceed.

Shen Li...

Helian Yu savored the name in her mind. "If Shen Li is alive, how old would he be this year?"

The assistant adjusted her glasses.

"Based on Kong Lili’s testimony, he should be thirty-nine years old this year."

Helian Yu murmured, "If Yu Fuli were still alive, she’d also be thirty-nine this year."

Shen as in Shen Qiunong, and Li as in Yu Fuli.

Helian Yu’s eyes suddenly sparkled with sharpness, her fingers digging into the armrest of the seat.

Upon hearing the name Yu Fuli, the assistant’s heart skipped a beat, her breathing slowed.

She wished she had never heard that sentence just now.

A cold smile slowly spread across Helian Yu’s lips: "Unbelievable... utterly unbelievable. So this is the truth."

But to tread cautiously, she opted for the simplest method.

"Bring Kong Lili to me immediately, and make sure no one notices."

The assistant got out of the car to make arrangements.

Helian Yu returned home; Liu Runxi was not back yet.

She went upstairs, heading to Liu Runxi’s room.

The boy was fastidious about cleanliness and privacy, never letting the maids touch his room—it had always been self-maintained.

The bedroom was neat and orderly, the bookshelves neatly lined, even the bedspread was without the slightest wrinkle, making it hard to believe this was a boy’s room.

Helian Yu scanned the room and walked to the bookshelf. She reached up and picked up a large box placed on top.

Noticing the box had barely any dust on it, Helian Yu narrowed her eyes.

Has he picked up the paintbrush again?

When Xixi was young, he had a remarkable talent for painting, but later, his style took an unusual turn—darker and eerier. She once brought his drawings to a child psychologist, who sighed, advising her to focus more on his mental health.

One day, she saw a painting of Xixi’s that filled her with an oppressive, suffocating feeling. In a fit of anger, she smashed his paintbrushes and forbade him from ever touching them again, even though shortly before, his painting teacher had called, saying Xixi’s innovative style had caught the eye of an overseas agency that wanted to buy exclusive rights to his works.

Liu Runxi said nothing, silently collecting his paintbrushes to seal them in a box, and since then, Helian Yu had never seen him draw again.

Helian Yu opened the lid, and sure enough, inside was a complete set of tools—canvas, drawing paper, paintbrushes, paints, everything.

She picked up the drawing board, and a stack of papers underneath spilled onto the floor with a rustle.

As Helian Yu bent down to retrieve them, she suddenly froze.

On the drawing paper was a static, lifelike portrait of a girl.

The delicate edges and softly-rendered light and shadow added a layer of gentle tranquility to the girl on paper. Every stroke carried a tender, refined sentiment from the artist.

Helian Yu picked up sheet after sheet. The subject of the drawings varied between full-face and profile views, smiles and contemplation, sitting and standing—but without exception, it was the same person.

The bottom right corner of each drawing was annotated with a date; the earliest was from September five years ago.

That was the first month Xixi had transferred to Lanya Primary School.

So it turns out... it started all the way back then...

Helian Yu’s fingers gripped the edge of the drawing paper tightly, creasing the once-soft paper. The face on the drawing warped under the lines pushed out by the wrinkles.

She reached for the last drawing.

It was facedown; when she picked it up, the image revealed its contents.

It was still the same face, but this time without glasses.

The instant beauty that struck her was overwhelming—thin paper could scarcely contain it.

Like a peerless gem, radiating brilliance throughout the room.

Helian Yu stared at the person in the drawing for over a minute.

Xixi had indeed inherited her artistic talent. The delicate brushstrokes vividly brought the girl’s features to life, capturing both form and spirit, especially the eyes—they seemed alive.