Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat
Chapter 247 - 247 244 Whose Painting

Chapter 247: Chapter 244: Whose Painting Chapter 247: Chapter 244: Whose Painting Jiang Yan stepped out of the private room and his striking height was soon noticed by the group of people opposite Xiao Qi, one of whom exclaimed in surprise, “Jiang Yan?”

Upon closer inspection, Jiang Yan realized it was Yang Yi, Jiajia’s cousin from her aunt’s side.

Yang Yi had not expected to encounter Jiang Yan here; he was attending a gathering organized by Liao Chenyu. They were halfway through their meal when Liao Chenyu started arguing with Yin Shen outside.

He and two other classmates had come over to try and bring Liao Chenyu back to the table.

Upon seeing Jiang Yan, he couldn’t help but ask Mu Jiawen, “Jiajia is back too, isn’t she?”

Jiang Yan just smiled at Yang Yi without answering the question and instead asked Xiao Qi, “What happened?”

“That bastard said Yin Shen…”

“It’s nothing.”

Yin Shen interrupted Xiao Qi, saying to Jiang Yan, “It’s nothing, let’s go back.”

Jiang Yan looked at Yin Shen and then turned his gaze to Liao Chenyu.

Liao Chenyu unconsciously stepped back two paces, widening the distance between himself and Jiang Yan.

Because of a “friendly exchange” that had taken place after the college entrance exam, Liao Chenyu had a lasting impression and now instinctively wanted to stay away from Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan gave him a deep look but said nothing.

Fan Jingjing was standing at the entrance of their private room, looking over. Jiang Yan didn’t even lift his eyelids, turned around, and told Yu Hang and Yin Shen to head back first, then tilted his head towards Yang Yi, signaling for a private word.

“Jiajia is now in Beijing. Her birth mother has found her, so if there’s nothing urgent, she probably won’t come back to Yunzhou often.”

Leaving him with those words, Jiang Yan nodded to the stunned Yang Yi and turned back to their private room.

“Xiao Qi, you really need to get your temper under control. You get riled up over a single word, and that could put you at a disadvantage in the future.”

As Jiang Yan was entering, Yin Shen was advising Xiao Qi, “If a dog bites you, are you going to bite the dog back? Look, he insulted me and I don’t even care. If you stoop to his level, doesn’t that just mean you’re no better than him…”

Hearing this, Jiang Yan couldn’t help but laugh. In his previous life, this guy had used the same line on him. After graduating from university and entering the workplace, he had thrived and adapted well, probably due to his approach to life.

They left the restaurant and moved on to a KTV, not parting ways until two in the morning.

….

On the twenty-eighth day of the year, Liang Yujun’s grandmother was celebrating a milestone birthday.

After practicing calligraphy with Mu Jiawen for a month and persisting in her own practice, Liang Yujun could now write the cursive character for “longevity” fairly well, and adding “may your life be as enduring as the Southern Mountains” gave her scroll a decent appearance.

“Hmm, not bad. Your grandmother will be very happy to see this.”

Since coming home for the holidays, Liang Yujun had been practicing her calligraphy for over two hours every day. Her father had witnessed her dedication, and there was no gift that could surpass the value of “sincerity.” Her father was very pleased with this.

“Let’s go, it’s better to head over early to help out.”

Liang Yujun’s mother rolled up her daughter’s calligraphy, placed it in a custom box along with the gifts they had prepared, and they were about to set off when Liang Yujun stopped her, “Mom, I forgot to get the traditional Chinese painting that Jiawen gave to Grandma. Wait for me, I’ll be right back.”

Liang Yujun’s mother turned to her husband with a smile, “Jiawen is really thoughtful. You might not know, but Yujun told me that her painting is so good that even their school’s fine arts teachers wanted to snatch it, which shows it’s really impressive.”

Her father was surprised, “She’s that skilled?”

“That’s right. You’ll see when Yujun brings it.”

Liang Yujun soon returned with the painting, got in the car, and handed the long box to her mother, “It’s a painting of pine trees and cranes symbolizing extended life. Would you like to see it?”

“Yes, your dad wants to look.”

Liang Yujun’s father didn’t rush to start the car but instead waited for his wife to open the painting so they could admire it together.

“This child is so young yet already has such skill?” The couple slowly unfurled the scroll and were already astonished just by the upper half. When they saw the bottom part, their eyes moved to the signature and the seal in the lower right corner, and they were stunned!

Mrs. Liang’s eyes widened as she looked at the few characters and the seal, and she nudged her husband beside her, asking, “This… Old Liang, can you read these characters for me? What, what are they?”

Mr. Liang was also not quite sure, and he turned his head to ask his daughter, “What’s Jiajia’s full name?”

Liang Yujun was sending a text message to a classmate and without looking up, she replied, “Mu Jiawen; she’s changed her surname, now taking her mother’s.”

Mrs. Liang quickly turned her head to look over, asking, “Her mother? Who is her mother?”

This question was a bit strange.

Liang Yujun finally sensed that something was off with her parents. She put down her phone, looked up at them, and asked, “What’s wrong with you two?”

Both Mr. and Mrs. Liang guessed a possibility, but seeing their daughter’s clueless expression, it was clear that she was unaware.

“Have you seen the painting?”

Liang Yujun nodded, “I have.”

“Did you see the signature too?”

Liang Yujun paused, “Isn’t the signature Xiaosi? Isn’t Mu Jiawen the seal?”

Mrs. Liang lifted the painting to show her daughter, pointing to the signature in the lower right corner.

Liang Yujun pushed up her glasses on the bridge of her nose and leaned in, reading word by word, “Mu… Mu, Chen, Yan?”

Liang Yujun’s eyes suddenly widened. How could the signature on this painting be Mu Chenyan?

Looking at the seal again, it still bore the same three characters, and she was dumbfounded!

“This… This is truly a painting by Master Mu?”

Those familiar with the field of traditional Chinese painting all knew that in recent years, Master Mu’s works had been few and far between. A painting like “Pine and Crane for a Long Life,” specifically created for an elderly person’s birthday celebration, had never been seen before; evidently, this painting was specially done by Master Mu for Grandmother Liang.

Mr. Liang’s eyes crinkled into a smile, “Yujun, you can now call Jiajia and ask her where she got this painting from.”

Without needing her father’s instruction, Liang Yujun had already found Mu Jiawen’s number and dialed it—

“Hello, Jiajia, the painting you gave me, wasn’t it painted by you?”

“No, it was painted by my mom, didn’t you say you wanted one of her paintings?” A very nonchalant tone.

Liang Yujun: “…”

Her voice trembling, she asked, “Mu, Master Mu is your mother?”

“Yeah.”

“Why have you never mentioned it?”

“You never asked.”

Liang Yujun: …

After the call ended, Mrs. Liang carefully rolled up the painting and put it back in the box before handing it to Liang Yujun, “Take good care of it. This is a great gift you’re giving to your grandmother. With this and your inscription, I’ll see how those relatives dare be sarcastic with you again!”

Driving, Mr. Liang glanced at her and said, “Children teasing each other and joking around—why are you taking it seriously? It’s unnecessary.”

“Tsk!” Mrs. Liang scoffed, “Children? They are all in their twenties, how are they still children? Did you consider your daughter’s feelings when saying that? Just because she got into Beijing University, she has to be alienated by her older siblings. Isn’t it distressing for her?”

Mr. Liang choked up, glanced through the rearview mirror, and their eyes met—his daughter looking up just at that moment. Despite the thick lenses obscuring her gaze, the dissatisfaction and accusation from his daughter were still apparent.

Mr. Liang’s face turned awkward, and he didn’t dare to speak anymore.