CHAPTER 15
The auditorium glittered with light and chatter. The National Art Contest was being broadcast live across the country; young talents stood on stage with hopeful smiles and trembling hands.
Among them—Jiang Ren, calm, focused, and dignified— yet without a plus one as ever one else.
Before the day of the contest, he attempted to ask the Cold General to be his plus one but the thought of being rejected wholly shut him.
Professor Liu: Artist Ren 🙂 .
The tall fashionable professor approached him. A thirty years old lady of classy swag.
Jiang Ren: Ah. (Stood up) Miss Liu, you came.
Professor Liu: (Observed) You're still wary of me. Even after it has been verified that I wasn't the one who sent you that bomb bracelet.
Jiang Ren: 🙂 . (Knelt to tidy his tools) I know. General Li made SURE that was verified. And I also know you don't have the heart to hurt me. [Besides, you're deeply charmed with me.]
Professor Liu: Oh?
With her other hand in her pocket, she reached for his chin and lifted it up.
Professor Liu: Overconfidence is lethal, Darling.
Jiang Ren's fluttered. He calmly moved his chin away.
Jiang Ren: Miss Liu, you'll make people think we are a couple.
Professor Liu: We will soon anyways.
Yes, please do be. His fiancée is a walking dead anyways.
Jiang Ren: Hmph. Flirt.
Professor Liu: Where is your General Li? She's three years older than I, but I'm more responsible than her. How can she not come to her fiancé's contest.
Jiang Ren: (Muttered) Cause I'm just a burden.
Professor Liu: Hm?
Jiang Ren: Nothing. The contest is about to start..
The competition began. The artist with their paintings came onto the stage one by one— each giving a talk of their artworks.
However, the worst happened, when Contestant 16— the one before Jiang Ren climbed on, he revealed a painting having the same details as Jiang Ren's.
Jiang Ren: 😳 [How did...?!]
His rivals tittered at his shock.
Jiang Ren: (Fingers clenched). [💢Larry.] (Whispered) My work was copied.
Professor Liu: What?
Then, Jiang Ren was called onto the stage. With trembling hands, he uncovered his painting. The hall went into mumbling.
Judge 1: Contestant 18. Please explain the meaning of this.
Organizer: Mr. Jiang Ren, there has been an allegation regarding your submission. Another contestant claims you stole their concept.
The room gasped. Cameras zoomed in, murmurs swelled like a rising tide. Jiang's knuckles whitened around the microphone.
Jiang Ren: That's not true. My work was copied.
His voice tight but steady.
Larry Weng: Excuse me. Are you accusing me off cheating?
Guy 1: We have proof that Larry Weng is the sole owner of this concept.
Guy 2: He spent days on this work. While all you did was to find a way to scam.
Jiang Ren: (Timid) I'm sincere!
Professor Liu: I vouch for Contestant 18!
General Li: So do I.
She said as the heavy doors at the back of the hall slid open. The crowd parted almost instinctively as Li Xuefang strode in—impeccable in her dark coat, silver insignia gleaming under the stage lights. The hum of awe followed her like an echo.
A Lady: (Excited) It's my hero.
General Li halted before the stage and looked at the organizer.
General Li: With all due respect, may I get on stage?
A Guy: Aye, as powerful as she is, she's still humble.
Organizer: Uhmm...
Judge 2: Of course, General Li.
She walked onto the stage. Her tone crisp and cutting
General Li: That accusation is false.
She turned toward the judges' panel, eyes cold and precise.
General Li: All drafts of Painter Jiang's work were logged under the private database two months prior. I can provide proof from the military-AI registry cross-linked to the system. Perhaps you should verify before shaming a national scholar on live broadcast. And instead punish the culprit before I do.
Her glaring eyes choked Larry Weng internally. The hall fell silent. The accusing contestant's face drained of color. A few taps on the central screen confirmed her words.
General Li: Ah. One more thing. Painter Jiang Ren is my fiancé.
The hall murmured.
General Li: I am him and he is me. So anyone harboring bad intentions towards him—will have to deal with me.
Her steady arm wraps behind his slender waist.
General Li: All I am peacefully asking that he is treated with respect.
A Guy: (Touched) Wow!!
The host stumbled for words, the crowd erupted in apology and applause.
Jiang Ren looked at her, stunned. She didn't smile—just offered a faint nod before stepping off stage.
Later, under the dim parking-lot lights. He tried to look for Li Xuefang but discovered that she wasted no time in leaving.
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Two days later, the Presidential Gala glimmered in gold and laughter. Crystal chandeliers, polished marble, foreign dignitaries—all eyes turned when General Li Xuefang entered the hall. Tonight, she was elegance and authority woven together; the classy linen of her outfit contrasted with the quiet steel in her posture.
Then—the lights flickered.
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