NovelOnlineChapter 215
"What's silhouette papercutting? Never even heard of it."
"Even if you haven't, Lorenzo said it's a lost art. That means it's rare-and probably worth a fortune."
A few people nearby were whispering among themselves.
Sheila's face paled noticeably.
Sallie, on the other hand, felt a little relief; at least she hadn't embarrassed herself.
Lorenzo stood up and walked over to Jessica, his manner incredibly polite. "Excuse me, miss, may | ask who
made this piece?"
Vince chimed in immediately. "She did."
"Really?"
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Excited, Lorenzo reached out to shake Jessica's hand, but Larkin beat him to it, practically elbowing him aside as
he grabbed Jessica's hand himself.
Larkin gently led Jessica back to his seat, coaxing her to sit down beside him. The old man held her hand tightly,
as if he couldn't bear to let go. He patted her hand tenderly, his aged eyes shining with unshed tears.
"My dear, this gift you've givenis truly priceless. You've recreated the Zimmerman family's ancestral home-
my family's home. All that remains of it now is a single faded photo, and the details in that picture are all but
lost. But you...”
He glanced once more at the piece, unable to tear his eyes away. "But you've brought it to life so beautifully.
That little boy there—that's me, when | was a child. And the woman beside him is my mother. The moment | saw
your papercutting, it was as if I'd been transported back in time. This is, without a doubt, the most meaningful
gift I've ever received in my life."
Larkin had always cherished papercutting, and his praise for Jessica was nothing short of effusive.
When everyone heard Larkin say it depicted the Zimmerman family's ancestral home, the room fell silent with
awe.
The Zimmerman family estate was now a landmark heritage site in the city- everyone present knew it well.
For a moment, the air was thick with admiration and praise.
Lorenzo squeezed in again. "Larkin, would you letget a word in edgewise? I'd like to shake this young lady's
hand too, but you haven't givenhalf a chance." Lorenzo had once headed the city's cultural bureau. After
retiring, he returned to Riverside, where he and Larkin had been friends for decades.
Being the guest today, Lorenzo relented. "Alright, alright, say your piece."
Lorenzo turned to Jessica with a warm smile. "Jessica, the cultural bureaus all over the country are eager to
support applications for heritage preservation. Not long ago, | heard from my old colleagues that nobody has yet
applied to get silhouette papercutting registered as an intangible heritage. They've been searching for someone
with your talent. I'd love to recommend you!"
He looked like he could barely restrain himself from dragging Jessica off to apply right that instant.
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Mr. Smith himself couldn't help but start making his way over.
Sheila looked up and, spotting Mr. Smith, her face changed yet again.
Jessica's papercutting today was done in a traditional style-a far cry from her animated piece of The Grand
Canal, Venice. Still, it was clear she had real talent; even without the cartoonish flair, her work seemed to
breathe with life. You could almost glimpse the bustling streets of seventy years ago in her art.
Timothy probably hadn't had a chance yet to talk to Mr. Smith about the animated character project. If Mr. Smith
took a liking to Jessica's work, all of Sheila's efforts last night would have been in vain.
Sheila caught sight of Timothy standing nearby.
"Timothy, you're here too," she called out.
Hearing his name, Jessica immediately looked up.
Timothy strode in, calm and poised, his presence outshining everyone else in the room. Every gesture, every
step radiated quiet confidence and effortless grace, drawing every eye to him the moment he entered.
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