Chapter 285 The Paranoid Painter 15 "Alright, but I have one condition: I must bring someone with me."

Jin Ye looked up at Elliott and said, tightening his arms to pull Zi Xi closer to him.

"Of course! This lady is an important source of inspiration for these works, so she should definitely be there."

Elliott's gaze swept between the two men, and he immediately smiled knowingly.

The agreement was thus reached.

After seeing Elliott off, Jin Ye immediately began preparing for the exhibition, and his first task was to design a dress for Zi Xi.

"It must be white,"

He insisted on hiring the top designer.

The designer brought dozens of white fabric samples, ranging from ivory to pearl white, from silk to chiffon.

Jin Ye stroked and examined the fabric, ultimately selecting a piece of plain crepe satin handwoven by Japanese craftsmanship, its whiteness like fresh snow and its texture like flowing water.

"This is it."

He made his decision, then gently draped the fabric over Zi Xi's shoulders, admiring its shimmering sheen in the light.

Zi Xi stood quietly, letting him do as he pleased.

"My painting is stained with blood, but you are pure white."

Jin Ye's fingers traced the fabric as he murmured to himself.

[I've always wanted to say this... Isn't it disgusting to use blood to paint? After all this time, how come Mr. Jin still has absolutely no sense of hygiene...]

Zi Xi couldn't help but mutter to herself.

Jin Ye choked abruptly, then burst into a rare laugh.

The designer looked up in surprise, hearing a laugh she had never heard before, so unrestrained.

That's really unhygienic; he won't do it again.

He stopped laughing, but his eyes still held a smile.

After the designer left, Jin Ye continued to take Zi Xi's measurements.

His fingers lightly touched her shoulder line and waistline, the movement professional and restrained, but a subtle tension filled the air.

"Why...what's wrong with your voice..."

He suddenly spoke, then paused.

Zi Xi understood his question.

[I was bullied by classmates in high school; they put chemicals in my water, which severely damaged my vocal cords.]

The doctor diagnosed him with permanent loss of voice.

She took out her tablet and typed smoothly.

"Those people...were they punished?"

Jin Ye's face instantly darkened.

[I called the police, but there was no evidence... The final verdict was that it was because I ignorantly drank a chemical agent, causing this consequence.]

Moreover, their family is well-off, so the matter was suppressed. My parents are just ordinary farmers and powerless to help.

[I was originally going to stay in China to be with my parents, but strangely enough, after I got injured, a voice in my head kept telling me that I had to go abroad.]

So I used the scholarship money I won from previous competitions and all my family's savings to come here.

Although it was difficult, I have no regrets.

Zi Xi shook her head, paused for a moment, and continued typing.

Jin Ye remained silent for a long time, his fingers unconsciously twirling the white fabric.

"What else did that voice tell you?"

When he spoke again, his voice was unusually low.

It said I would find something of my own here.

Zi Xi tilted her head to think, then typed.

What she didn't write down was that recently that voice appeared again, telling her that she must stay by Jin Ye's side and love him wholeheartedly.

This idea puzzled her, so she chose to keep it a secret.

"Does it still hurt here...?"

Jin Ye gazed at her, then suddenly reached out and gently touched her throat, the movement as soft as touching a butterfly's wing.

Zi Xi smiled and shook her head, feeling a little uncomfortable with his sudden intimacy.

"It's good that it doesn't hurt."

Jin Ye withdrew his hand, his tone returning to its usual calm.