After the True Heiress Travels Back
Chapter 527: Have I Lost My Talent?

Chapter 527: Chapter 527: Have I Lost My Talent?

Shi Yaoguang wore an expression that screamed "don’t try to frame me" as she looked at Shang Minghao.

Shang Minghao was somewhat annoyed; his disbelief in Shi Yaoguang was evident.

"Do you dare to say that your appearance here has nothing to do with me?"

Shi Yaoguang shook her head, "I can’t guarantee that."

Shang Minghao: "..."

Shi Yaoguang: "Indeed, I did not follow you, but my being here is indeed somewhat related to you."

"What do you mean?" asked Shang Minghao, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

Shi Yaoguang lifted her chin, pointing in the direction of Shi Ruhong, "Didn’t I just say it? I came to see my uncle."

"After all, we’re relatives by blood. He’s been persecuted, and as his niece, it wouldn’t be right to stand by and do nothing, would it?"

Hearing her accurately mention Shi Ruhong’s "persecution," Shi Yiqing felt guilty, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

She didn’t know how Shi Yaoguang had found out about this.

But no matter what, Shi Yiqing would never admit to it.

Before they started extracting Shi Ruhong’s talent, Shang Minghao had explained the principle of talent extraction to Shi Yiqing.

Extracting talent wasn’t something done without cost.

What Shang Minghao could help her achieve was merely to possess Shi Ruhong’s talent for herself.

After the talent became hers, Shi Ruhong would lose it.

It was as if to copy Shi Ruhong’s artistic ability and claim it as her own, while the formerly talented Shi Ruhong would never have such talent again.

For an artist, this was akin to losing their life.

Shi Yiqing was indifferent to this.

It was just the extraction of some talent.

If Shi Ruhong could become a painter, then it must be achieved through hard work.

What does it count for, relying solely on talent?

To non-talented competitors, this was simply too unfair.

Her doing this was also to bring fairness back to the world.

Shi Yiqing told herself this in her heart, which was extremely shameless.

Shi Yaoguang and Shi Yiqing’s words were also heard by Shi Ruhong.

Having realized that his sensitivity to color differentiation was no longer as sharp as before, he sensed trouble, and now his heart sank to the depths.

"My talent is gone?"

He murmured to himself, then looked up, his gaze sharply sweeping toward Shi Yiqing, "Did you absorb my painting talent?"

Meeting his hateful gaze, Shi Yiqing guiltily looked away.

"Don’t listen to Shi Yaoguang’s nonsense. All this talk of talent, what do you think this is, a movie?"

If it hadn’t been her own experience, Shi Yiqing wouldn’t have believed any of this was real either.

But she forgot that she had been the one to personally experience the benefits, while Shi Ruhong had personally experienced the feeling of losing talent.

In a way, they were now starting from the same point; the only difference was...

Shi Yiqing was gaining, and Shi Ruhong was losing.

Shi Ruhong, having lost his talent, could distinctly feel the changes occurring within him.

The way he looked at Shi Yiqing grew colder.

Many years ago, he had made painting his life’s pursuit.

If he hadn’t hit a bottleneck, he wouldn’t have come back to the country to find his biological daughter, hoping she would continue his legacy.

But he had not anticipated that instead of finding the heir he wanted, he had ended up sacrificing his own painting talent.

Now, looking at Shi Yiqing’s obstinate denial, he felt his heart choke with frustration.

Shi Yaoguang, having had enough of their drama, finally spoke up, "I’m sorry, Uncle, I came too late..."

Shi Ruhong suddenly looked up at her with hopeful eyes, "Do you know they have absorbed my talent, can you give it back to me?"

Shi Yaoguang shook her head regretfully, "Sorry, I can’t."

Shi Ruhong’s face instantly lost all color, "You can’t either? Then what meaning does my life have left..."

He muttered to himself, his pupils beginning to dilate.

It looked like the blow was not light.

Shi Yiqing showed no remorse for her actions.

On the contrary, she was quite self-righteous.

Looking at the dazed Shi Ruhong, she snorted, "Don’t put on such an act, you came back to find me just to have me bring you more honor, didn’t you?"

"Now that I’ve taken your painting talent, when I’m successful in the future, you will feel a sense of accomplishment as well, won’t you?"

Hearing this, Shi Ruhong’s expression twisted, "Is that something a human would say?"

Shi Yiqing wore an expression of indifference, "What did I say wrong? Isn’t this the truth?"

She shook her head as she spoke, "Even if you’re unwilling to admit it, this is the truth."

"Since you came with the intention of using me, you can’t blame me for using you back..." Shi Yiqing’s smile was not well-intended, "After all, it’s not uncommon for hunters to be blinded when hunting geese."

"You—" Shi Ruhong gritted his teeth, "You fiend!"

"Giving birth to you was the biggest sin of my life!"

Shi Yiqing was unbothered, "Although you are my biological father, you never raised me."

"I’ve grown up under the care of my parents... that is, your brother and sister-in-law."

"Tell me, what right do you have to come back and pluck the peaches without lifting a finger?"

Shi Ruhong, struck by her words, turned red, "You, you stop slandering!"

"Whether it’s slander or not, we both know the truth, there’s no need to beat around the bush."

After finishing her words, Shi Yiqing held her head high as she looked at Shi Yaoguang with a scornful expression.

"Don’t think by saying these things, you can shake my relationship with him."

This "him," naturally referred to Shi Ruhong.

For a moment, Shi Ruhong did not know what to say.

Should he express regret over having such a daughter?

Should he regret not having strangled this daughter the moment she was born?

Or perhaps, he should regret coming back at all, harboring those crooked thoughts?

But...

When he returned to the country, even if there was an element of using Shi Yiqing, he had never thought of harming her.

He had hit a bottleneck in his painting and, unable to break through himself, wanted to train an outstanding disciple.

It was also out of concern that Shi Yiqing might have inherited his talent that he thought she could continue the family legacy.

Who would have known that his plans would fall through and turn into a joke?

Being a joke was one thing,

But the worst part was...

Running into someone with such a black heart.

Thinking about how most of his painting talent had been absorbed by Shi Yiqing, Shi Ruhong’s mood just couldn’t lighten up.

Now, hearing Shi Yiqing and Shi Yaoguang say such things, he wished even more that Shi Yaoguang could put her to death with a retort.

Unfortunately, Shi Yaoguang did not act according to his wishes.

Instead, she asked Shi Yiqing with keen interest.

"I’m very curious, what exactly were you thinking when you absorbed the painting talent of your own biological father?"

Shi Yaoguang stroked her chin, appearing contemplative, "In doing this, did you want to absorb his talent to eventually make him proud, or was it simply to use him?"

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