Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat
Chapter 257 - 257 254 Coincidence

Chapter 257: Chapter 254: Coincidence Chapter 257: Chapter 254: Coincidence Maomao lived in the suburbs, and she had to pedal her tricycle for almost an hour each day to sell vegetables.

It’s not that she didn’t want to choose a closer place to sell, but the spots near her home were mostly taken by others. As she was young and alone, she couldn’t compete with them, so she had no choice but to travel a little further.

The school teachers, aware of her family situation, allowed her to take leave every other day, giving her two hours off in the morning.

She didn’t sell every day, usually taking a gap of one or two days between selling. This winter, with the help of Second Brother, things were much easier for her. She no longer had to toil at an outdoor stall and could sell out her stock and have a warm meal afterwards.

“She hasn’t come around for the past few days because of the New Year, but I have the phone number of her neighbor. Should I ask her to come over?”

The residents of the community, like Granny Li and others who were familiar with Maomao, sometimes called her to bring some eggs or poultry from their village to sell when she came to deliver vegetables. The prices were the same, but the quality was much better than what the market offered.

By doing so, they also indirectly helped Maomao earn a little extra. After all, how much could she earn from just her regular bunch of cabbage, spinach, and coriander?

“You give her a call. If she’s free today, ask her to come by.”

Second Brother didn’t ask Jiang Yan what he needed Maomao for and just called her straight away to arrange a time for her to come over.

…

At noon, Mu Chenyan invited Xu Qian and his siblings to have lunch at home and, by the way, to discuss the funeral arrangements for Xie Huifang once her paternity test results with Lin Jian’an were out.

Although the results were not in yet, Xie Huifang’s identity was more or less confirmed.

“I want to take Mom back to be with Grandma.”

Xu Qian had some memories of her grandmother as a very kind and nice old lady who was especially good to her. Unfortunately, she could no longer remember what her grandmother looked like.

“That’s a good idea, to be buried with your grandmother. Mother and daughter will have each other’s company. Yu Heng, when are the results due?”

Mu Chenyan and her family would all attend Xie Huifang’s funeral and help with the arrangements.

“By tomorrow noon, I suppose.”

Mu Chenyan nodded and said to Xu Qian, “From now on, Yu Heng and the others are your brothers. As for your mother’s funeral, you just tell us how you want it done, and they will handle it. We will also go with you to your grandmother’s ancestral home to bury your mother.”

Xu Qian was touched and overwhelmed, “Auntie…”

“We’re family now, so don’t be formal with Auntie.”

Mu Jiawen also nodded to her, “Sister, we will definitely all be there.”

Xu Qian’s emotions were in turmoil, hardly settling.

As they were discussing which day to set out and how to proceed after picking up Xie Huifang’s remains in Yunzhou, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it.”

Jiang Yan got up and went to the door first, finding Second Brother and Maomao as expected.

“Hello, Big Brother Tie.”

Maomao greeted Jiang Yan politely and took the initiative to say hello, though that title…

At that moment, Mu Jiawen also came over. Upon hearing the “Big Brother Tie” from Maomao’s mouth, she paused, then quietly glanced at Second Brother.

Without a doubt, it was he who had introduced Jiang Yan as his brother and, to those not in the know, it seemed like they were blood brothers.

“Come on in.”

Jiang Yan’s expression didn’t change and he showed no intention to correct the title for himself.

Because of the New Year, Maomao was not wearing her usual worn-out cotton-padded jacket with a blue school uniform over it, but a knee-length green down jacket that looked rather new, though the color and style were very dated.

Perhaps it was on sale when it was bought, or maybe it was a clearance item.

However, the pants she was wearing were still the blue and white striped school uniform, washed to the point of fading, and on her feet were a pair of red-striped cotton shoes that looked quite new, presumably made by her grandmother for the New Year.

Mu Jiawen stared at Mao Mao’s doll-like face and paused for a moment before turning to call for Xu Qian, “Sister.”

Xu Qian, hearing her, turned her head and, like Mu Jiawen, was stunned.

It wasn’t just her; everyone sitting in the living room gasped in surprise at the sight of Mao Mao.

It just so happened that Xu Qian, like Mao Mao, also had ear-length short hair, and both had doll-like faces, with large eyes round as cat’s eyes, and their noses and mouths, they looked exactly alike.

If Xu Qian weren’t taller and had a larger build than the slender Mao Mao, one could believe they were twins.

“This is…”

Mu Chenyan was the first to snap out of it; she stood up from the sofa, glanced at Mao Mao, and then turned her head towards Jiang Yan.

“How should I put it, it was a chance encounter, and we don’t know if it’s true or not.”

What Jiang Yan meant by true or not was understood by everyone present.

Whether or not she was Xu Qian’s sister, the little one-year-old girl from fifteen years ago.

However, there are unrelated people who look alike in this world, so it’s definitely unrealistic to conclude that Mao Mao is Xu Qian’s sister just based on this.

“Brother, I just asked Mao Mao,”

The second oldest sometimes had a very keen mind; when he heard Jiang Yan inquiring about Mao Mao’s background, he guessed something.

“Mao Mao was adopted by her parents from the orphanage. Seven years ago, her father was diagnosed with leukemia and didn’t last a year before he passed away. Not long after that, her mother remarried, and since then, it has been just her and her grandmother relying on each other.”

A simple and pitiful background, yet full of twists and turns.

Xu Qian looked at Mao Mao and asked, “Then how did you end up at the orphanage, do you know?”

Mao Mao was silent for a while before speaking, “I heard from my grandmother that I was rescued from traffickers by the police, along with many other children. Most of them were claimed by their families, but no one came for me, so I was eventually sent to the orphanage.”

Perhaps too much time had passed; whereas she used to feel wronged and sad when mentioning that “no one came for me,” now it was spoken with just indifference.

After all, life with her grandmother was much better than at the orphanage.

As for finding her birth parents, Mao Mao had never thought about it, for if they didn’t come to claim her while she was with the police, if they didn’t want to take her back, then what could she do even if she found them?

But now, this sister in front of her who looked so much like her…

Mao Mao couldn’t help but step back, her body instinctively resisting.

She was dressed so nicely and had the air of a college student, and she was having a great time talking with people who lived in such a nice house, so… was it that they didn’t want her because they already had a daughter?

Thinking of this possibility, Mao Mao turned and ran for the door, but the quick-reacting second oldest caught her, “Mao Mao, what are you doing?”

“I don’t want to stay here, I want to leave… brother, let go.”

Mao Mao looked panicked and pleaded pitifully, causing the second oldest to soften and let go, and Mao Mao took the opportunity to run to the door, opening it and dashing out.

The second oldest turned back to look at the people in the living room, and Jiang Yan urged him, “Go on, keep an eye on her.”

After the second oldest left, Jiang Yan held up the two strands of hair to Xu Qian and asked, “Should we do a paternity test?”

Xu Qian, silent, pulled two strands of hair from her own head and handed them to Jiang Yan, her tears rolling down as she did so.