Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat
Chapter 294 - 294 291 Clarification

Chapter 294: Chapter 291 Clarification Chapter 294: Chapter 291 Clarification “What’s wrong, Xiaotao?”

Deng’s father had called several times before Deng Tao snapped out of her dazed state. She turned to look at her father, her face devoid of any color, frighteningly pale.

Seeing her like that, Deng’s father was momentarily stunned.

“Are you feeling unwell? What happened?”

Deng Tao raised her hand and pointed to the bottom right corner of the Zodiac’s Monkey, where two words were inscribed in cursive: Xiaosi!

Below it was a red seal: Mu Jiawen!

Song Qingping’s Shanshui Gallery also featured paintings by Mu Jiawen, which Deng’s father had heard of from Deng Tao and had seen once while accompanying a friend to select paintings.

But he had only glanced at them and hadn’t looked closely, so he wasn’t aware that Mu Jiawen was accustomed to signing her paintings with the two characters for “Xiaosi.”

But Deng Tao was aware.

The same signature, the seal only lacking one character, plus… Deng Tao remembered the sketch she tore up last year, when she accused Song Jiawen of plagiarizing Master Mu and took the matter to the teacher. The incident had petered out, but she always felt aggrieved and regretted tearing up Jiawen’s drawing. She should have let her go to North City and let the judges find out.

But now…

Cold sweat broke out on Deng Tao’s back; she contemplated a possibility, yet it seemed incredibly unbelievable.

Song Jiawen clearly came from the countryside, she was discovered at Jianghai Middle School by a teacher from Yunzhou First Middle School and was poached because of her good grades. How could she possibly be related to Master Mu?

But there were too many coincidences before her eyes, and even though she was reluctant to think about it, she couldn’t help but do so.

She turned around and squeezed through the crowd, walking briskly toward where the staff was located.

Deng’s father was still looking closely at the signature and seal when he noticed Deng Tao had left. He quickly refocused and followed after her, “Where are you going? That seal…”

“Did Mu Jiawen used to be called Song Jiawen?”

The words Deng’s father hadn’t finished got stuck in his throat. He gaped, shocked at his daughter!

What was she talking about?

Could it really just be a coincidence of names?

The staff member was just an ordinary employee; how would she know about the boss’s daughter having changed her surname?

Hearing Deng Tao’s question, she looked at her as if she were insane and didn’t directly answer her query, only saying, “If you want to buy a painting, please go over there and line up.”

“You haven’t answered my question yet,” Deng Tao persisted, and her gaze toward the staff member was somewhat menacing.

No, just say it isn’t so, and I’ll leave!

“Miss, I’m not privy to our boss’s family matters, and even if I were, I couldn’t possibly tell you.” Who is this person anyway?

But Deng Tao still wouldn’t give up, “If you don’t know, then your manager must, right? Where is she?”

The gallery was busy these days, and Assistant Su had arrived early and was currently standing in a corner on the east side.

Deng Tao’s inquiries were not quiet, and many people passing by also turned their heads in surprise, with some whispering, “Did Master Mu’s daughter change her surname to hers later? What was her original surname? Song?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Everyone knows that Master Mu’s husband is the eldest son from the Yu family of Jade City; if there was to be a surname change, it would be to Yu.”

“Hah, having a too capable woman isn’t always a good thing. Even the child’s surname can be changed to match hers.”

“Shush, let it be…”

Assistant Su’s expression shifted subtly.

She glanced at the staff member and then turned to go up to the second floor.

“The two of you, please follow me.”

The staff member led Deng Tao and her father to Assistant Su’s office on the second floor, then closed the door and went back downstairs.

“Miss, downstairs is crowded, not a place for you to raise your voice. If you have any questions, you can ask me.”

Having worked with Mu Chenyan for a long time and always managing the gallery, Su Qiang had unconsciously developed a sharp demeanor. Looking at Deng Tao made her involuntarily want to retreat behind her father.

“I’m sorry, my daughter didn’t mean to be loud just now; she was just too anxious. I apologize on her behalf.”

Deng’s father was sincere in his attitude and knew he had no ground to stand on, aware that Deng Tao had indeed been impulsive.

Leaning against the desk with her arms crossed, Su Qiang stood there facing Deng’s father’s apology. She didn’t invite them to sit, only saying, “No need for apologies. If there’s nothing else you want to ask, then you can go downstairs.”

Of course, Su Qiang knew perfectly well what Xiaosi’s surname used to be, but there was no need to disclose it to outsiders.

Deng’s father turned to pull Deng Tao, “Let’s go.”

“…I, I want to ask…”

“Xiaotao.”

Deng Tao shook off her father’s hand, mustering the courage to face Su Qiang and took a deep breath, “I want to ask if Master Mu’s daughter has always had the surname Mu, or if it was changed later?”

Su Qiang narrowed her eyes, “Why are you so persistent with this question? Do you know our Xiaosi?”

“I graduated from Yunzhou First Middle School. I had a classmate named Song Jiawen who also liked to sign her paintings with the name ‘Xiaosi’.”

Su Qiang stared at Deng Tao for a full sixty seconds before suddenly smiling, “I suppose, you and our Xiaosi must not be very close, otherwise you wouldn’t be unaware of her real name now.”

With a loud bang, Deng Tao felt as if struck by thunder, the revelation hitting her head-on!

Song Jiawen was actually Master Mu’s daughter!

How could this be possible?

Not only was Deng Tao shocked, but so was her father. Even though his heart was shaken, he quickly recovered after a moment of surprise. He awkwardly smiled at Su Qiang, hurriedly dragging the still-dumbfounded Deng Tao downstairs.

The father-daughter duo had lost the mood to browse the gallery anymore and left directly after coming down from the second floor.

Once outside, the first thing Deng’s father said to her was, “Who did you tell yesterday? Send them a message now, say you saw it wrong, it was a misunderstanding. For those without phones, call their dorms at noon. You hear me?”

The last three words were uttered with increased emphasis and severity.

Even though Mu Chenyan was just a painter, his fame was considerable, and no matter what, far beyond what a minor merchant like him could match.

Moreover, for the sake of Deng Tao’s own reputation, she needed to rectify the rumors she had spread.

And Deng’s father knew clarity that even without the connection to Mu Chenyan, given the ruthless nature that the young boy and Song… no, Mu Jiawen now, had shown at their age, they could do something that would make Deng Tao regret and pay a price for.

That very night, Zhu Zhen once again came to Jiang Yan’s dormitory, patted him on the shoulder, and asked, “What did you do to Deng Tao?”

Huh? So quick to react?

Jiang Yan chuckled, “I ran into her father this morning and took the opportunity to have a word with her parents, but it was no use, her father is even more shameless than her. I just blabbered some nonsense… why? Did she call to clarify?”

“Jian Dong said Deng Tao sent him a message, saying she saw wrong yesterday, the person she saw at the hotel wasn’t you and Jiajia.”

“And then?”

“Then a few people from Class Six asked her if it was you and Jiajia who threatened her at the hotel today?”