Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat
Chapter 292 - 292 289 Just Kidding (Three More)

Chapter 292: Chapter 289 Just Kidding (Three More) Chapter 292: Chapter 289 Just Kidding (Three More) “All the nearby places are full, only this one has vacancies,”

Song Qingping couldn’t help but hiss, “You booked it?”

Mu Jiawen knew he was concerned about money, so she simply held up two fingers, “Teacher, my paintings sell for this much now. What’s wrong with treating you to a stay in a five-star hotel once? We can afford it.”

“It’s not about whether we can afford it or not,” Song Qingping said, and even turned his head to check that the waiter not far from the main entrance couldn’t hear them, before continuing, “Staying here is purely burning money, not worth it.”

Huang Kai, however, had a look of longing. He had never stayed in a five-star hotel before.

Still, what he was more concerned about at the moment was the price of his junior sister’s paintings, “Two thousand? Not bad, that’s doubled in less than a year, better than your senior brother.”

Huang Kai’s paintings are now selling for only a thousand yuan each. On a good month, he might sell eight or nine, but during slow times, not even one.

Song Qingping also nodded, “Hmm, it seems you’re telling the truth, you really haven’t regressed.”

Mu Jiawen opened her mouth, wanting to say it wasn’t two thousand, it was twenty thousand.

But seeing how the pair were especially fond of the “two thousand” figure, unabashedly praising it, she closed her mouth and said nothing.

When Jiang Yan arrived, the four of them walked into the hotel.

As they were walking, Song Qingping was still confirming with her, “Did you really pay the money?”

The standard room here costs more than a thousand a night, such a waste of money!

Equally quietly, Mu Jiawen said, “Otherwise, when you get to the room, take a few more showers, use up all the shampoo and shower gel provided, roll around on the bed a bit, sleep a few extra hours, and eat more at breakfast tomorrow. We’ll try to get the money’s worth, how about that?”

Song Qingping: “…”

This kid has gotten cheekier since starting university.

Compared to Song Qingping’s dilemma, Huang Kai was obviously more accepting, feeling a little guilty for spending his junior sister’s money, but it was fine, next time when he had money, he could spend it on her. Social interaction is about give and take, after all.

“President Song?”

While checking in, just as Song Qingping got his room card and Mu Jiawen stood beside him holding his carry-on bag, they heard someone calling and the teacher-student group, along with Jiang Yan, all turned to look.

Deng’s father and Deng Tao had just finished breakfast and were planning to visit Master Mu’s gallery. Little did they know that upon entering the lobby, they would see Song Qingping at the reception desk.

“Mr. Deng.”

Song Qingping greeted the man with a nod, maintaining a cool and distant demeanor.

Mr. Deng didn’t mind. He glanced at Mu Jiawen beside him and stepped forward with a smile, “Did you just arrive today?”

“Yes, didn’t get here till 6:30, told them not to come pick me up at the station but they insisted. Just found out when I got here that this is the hotel she booked for me. This kid, just made a bit of money from selling paintings and she’s already spending it all on me.”

He didn’t want to boast, but suddenly meeting an acquaintance from Yunzhou, Song Qingping couldn’t resist saying a few more words.

After completing his speech, he felt utterly satisfied!

Too bad, the only acquaintance was Mr. Deng.

Perhaps not many people knew that Mu Jiawen was Song Qingping’s student, but Mr. Deng was well aware, after all, he’d gone to some lengths trying to have Deng Tao accepted as his student, efforts which were ultimately in vain, resulting in only occasional guidance.

These self-proclaimed artists can sometimes be so obstinate.

Later, I heard from Deng Tao that Song Qingping had taken Song Jiawen under his wing, and I felt a bit sour about it.

But…

So, Song Jiawen came to the hotel yesterday just to book a room for Song Qingping?

Deng’s father glanced at Deng Tao out of the corner of his eye, she was looking down at her own shoes, bored, behind him and had no intention of coming forward to greet President Song.

Well, if she won’t greet him, she won’t.

Deng’s father turned around and flashed a big smile at Song Qingping, “Congratulations, President Song, for taking in such a good student. Student Song Jiawen will certainly have a bright future…”

After praising Mu Jiawen for a while, the smile on Song Qingping’s face became much more sincere in the face of Deng’s father.

However, after exchanging pleasantries, just as Deng’s father was about to leave with Deng Tao, they were stopped by Jiang Yan.

“You’re Mr. Deng, right?” Jiang Yan did not call him “Uncle” out of politeness, but addressed him just as he would Song Qingping.

His expression indifferent, he didn’t beat around the bush and stated directly, “Mr. Deng, my name is Jiang Yan. Although my name isn’t important, there’s something important I need to discuss with you.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Deng Tao. When she turned her head to look at him, he addressed Deng’s father again, “Yesterday, Jiajia and I came here to book a room for Teacher Song. When we left, we bumped into Deng Tao. We are both not acquainted with her, so we did not greet her. But by evening, many students from our school were spreading rumors that Jiajia and I had come here to get a room, and some were even more outrageous, talking about pregnancy and abortion.”

The smile on Deng’s father’s face froze, and Song Qingping’s expression also darkened as he glared at Deng Tao.

But Deng’s father was a businessman, skilled in handling all kinds of unexpected situations.

Therefore, his expression quickly returned to normal. He did not question Deng Tao right away but looked at Jiang Yan with a smile, “Student, I can understand how you feel about being maligned by such rumors. But we must have evidence in all matters, you can’t just suspect her because Deng Tao saw you two yesterday. That’s not evidence, right? After all, she wasn’t the only one who could have seen you two at the hotel during broad daylight, right?”

Denying it outright was within Jiang Yan’s expectations. Deng Tao’s character and conduct were well known, so he suspected her father wouldn’t be much better.

However, before Jiang Yan could speak again, Song Qingping raised his hand to stop him.

He said, “Mr. Deng, I think what Jiang Yan just said was clear enough. You mention that it’s the students from our school who are spreading the rumor, but we’re in Beijing. Do you mean to tell me that his schoolmates are at a point where they can run into him just by stepping out?”

Deng’s father’s expression remained the same, but his eyes gradually became colder, “President Song, I understand my daughter. Even if Deng Tao accidentally said something to her classmates, she would’ve merely stated the facts. If others misinterpreted or imagined other things, that’s not something she can control, right?”

Such a remark was truly shameless.

Song Qingping scoffed, “Mr. Deng, you really do surprise me, no wonder…”

“President Song!” Deng’s father interrupted Song Qingping, “If you’re not pleased, I can have Deng Tao apologize to student Song Jiawen. But personally, I think this little matter really isn’t worth making a fuss over. It’s just a few high school students joking around. They’re not even in the same city; in a couple of days, it’ll be forgotten. Why hold onto it? It just seems petty.”

“Indeed!” Jiang Yan actually nodded, appearing to agree with Deng’s father. He squinted at Deng Tao and said lightly, “I’ve heard from a few classmates at Beicheng University that Deng Tao is dating three boyfriends at the same time, and her weekends are packed with dates like she’s running a business. It’s common for her not to return to her dorm. Your… business is doing quite well!”

Deng’s father’s and Deng Tao’s faces both changed dramatically, with Deng Tao screeching, “You’re talking nonsense, shameless!”

Deng’s father’s face turned an iron shade of blue, his eyes dark, “Kid, you’re courting death!”

With an innocent face, Jiang Yan replied, “Look at that, look at that. It’s just a few high school students messing around and joking with each other, not even in the same city, and it’ll be forgotten in a couple of days. Is there really a need for such anger? It makes you father and daughter seem very small-minded!”

“Mr. Deng, am I right?”

Jiang Yan tossed Deng’s father’s words right back at him, leaving him speechless and unable to utter a word.

Deng Tao was not faring any better, her face flushed red with anger, glaring at Jiang Yan as if she wanted to tear him apart.

“What are you glaring at?”

Mu Jiawen was unaware of this matter until now. She watched Deng Tao coolly, “However the rumors started, you’re going to retract them. Otherwise, the ‘jokes’ Jiang Yan just made will spread across Beicheng University by tomorrow. If you don’t believe me, feel free to try and see!”