Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat

Chapter 32: Chapter 029 Reasons for Leave Chapter 32: Chapter 029 Reasons for Leave Song Jiawen, after casually drawing a picture in the art classroom, returned to her own classroom.

She had thought if she couldn’t find Teacher Song, she would rely on the school’s art studio to paint and sell her work, but it turns out this art studio wasn’t like Jianghai’s. Non-art students couldn’t easily enter, and she wasn’t familiar with the art teacher either.

So it seems selling paintings here was not going to work.

It looked like she would have to visit Teacher Song some day. Just making phone calls wasn’t enough; either no one answered, or they said Teacher Song wasn’t in.

Isn’t this person supposed to be selling paintings? Why are they never there?

Song Jiawen had just sat down in her classroom when Jiang Yan came back.

He was called out by Xiao Qi to play basketball together. He returned only wearing a sweatshirt, having taken off his school uniform and sweater, his head and face covered in sweat.

Once he sat down at his desk, an overpowering smell of sweat wafted over…

Song Jiawen subtly leaned towards the wall and lazily glanced at Jiang Yan’s exposed arm and the strong chest revealed by the sweat-soaked shirt clinging to his body.

Usually, he was as thin as a bamboo pole; she had not realized he was so well-built.

She averted her gaze and sighed softly.

Jiang Yan pulled two pieces of paper out of his desk to wipe his face and turned to ask, “What’s wrong?”

Song Jiawen, recalling something, inquired, “Do you have an income every day?”

Jiang Yan paused in wiping his face, the corners of his mouth twitched, “You mean the internet café in the town? I do, but not much.”

He had recently moved to the city and had no time to set up computers, relying only on the internet fees of two or three yuan per hour. After deducting rent, utilities, and labor costs, there wasn’t much left to share between him and Huang Mao.

“Not much, but how much exactly? Is it enough for living expenses here?”

“That’s definitely enough… wait, why do you ask?”

Song Jiawen stared at him silently, and Jiang Yan narrowed his eyes, “Didn’t find that painting seller? Thinking of painting and selling in school, like you did in Jianghai?”

Song Jiawen shook her head, “It won’t work here.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

“I want to take a leave and go there to see. Calling on the weekends always gets no answer. Teacher Song probably likes the weekends off, so I’ll take a leave of absence Monday to Friday to make a trip.”

Jiang Yan was about to say he would accompany her when Zhu Zhen walked up and said to Song Jiawen, “The physics teacher is asking for you in the office below.”

Physics teacher?

“Do you know what it’s about?”

As Song Jiawen got up to leave, she asked Zhu Zhen.

“There’s a physics competition in North City next month.”

Going to North City?

Song Jiawen felt it was quite a hassle, another trip without any money.

And indeed, once she reached the office, the physics teacher handed her a form to fill out.

Despite finding it troublesome, Song Jiawen respected teachers, and since participating in the competition was for the school, she filled out the form obediently and took several competition papers from the physics teacher.

Just as she was about to leave, her homeroom teacher, Mr. Gao, asked her, “You can still paint? Have you learned before?”

Song Jiawen “Hmm”ed in response, curious, “How did you know?”

The few teachers sitting in the office turned to look at her, someone internally questioning, had Teacher Fang not run off in a hurry to find her?

Mr. Gao sighed, “Do more math exercises when you’re free, forget about painting.”

The physics teacher immediately added, “You’re about to take part in a competition, focus more on physics.”

What’s the use of painting anyway; it’s a waste of time.

…..

Song Jiawen returned to the classroom with a confused look on her face, and as soon as she had sat down at her desk, Xu Yan came over from the front row and said to her, “Song Jiawen, Teacher Fang asked me to tell you to go to the studio with me tomorrow at noon.”

Originally, Teacher Fang was going to come find her personally, but he had to leave due to some urgent matters and asked Xu Yan to deliver the message.

Song Jiawen asked in surprise, “Isn’t your studio off-limits to outsiders?”

Xu Yan looked at her with a profound gaze, thinking do you have the nerve to consider yourself an outsider?

What she didn’t know was how grateful the art students were that Song Jiawen wasn’t pursuing the path of art; otherwise, with her abilities and talent, what would be left for them?

At that time, Jiang Yan spoke up, “Did you go to the studio to paint today?”

Song Jiawen nodded, “I borrowed Xu Yan’s pencil and casually sketched a drawing.”

Xu Yan felt like cursing, you call that casually sketched?

Jiang Yan laughed with a “pfft” sound, looking at Xu Yan’s expression with a great deal of sympathy.

“That drawing of yours probably impressed all the art teachers here.”

After Xu Yan left, Jiang Yan said to her, “Maybe you can use the school studio now.”

Song Jiawen, remembering the look of regret on Teacher Gao and the physics teacher’s faces when they saw her drawing, shook her head, “Forget it, I’d rather go to Song Laosan’s place if I want to sell drawings, in school…” it’s too much trouble.

Jiang Yan didn’t ask why it would be troublesome, but took the physics competition test paper she’d brought back, briefly flipped through it, and then returned it to her.

He was self-aware; even though he was a reborn individual, he wasn’t at an advantage when it came to studying. Unfortunately, intelligence was a bottleneck.

It’s only through his patience and an extraordinary level of perseverance that others can’t withstand that he managed to bring his grades up to their current level. Yet even then, most of the improvement was in the basics, solving some of the more difficult problems to avoid losing points, and that was all.

More challenging problems might be solvable with more time, but the investment of time and the payoff was not proportionate, making it not worthwhile for him.

He’d rather spend that time on biology and English, which could still boost his overall score.

……

The next day, on Friday, thinking about another weekend about to pass, Song Jiawen didn’t want to waste any more time and considered taking a leave to visit Song Laosan’s studio.

But what excuse should she use to take leave?

“Just say your dad was hit by a car, and you need to go to the hospital to see if he’s dead or not.”

Song Jiawen turned to look at Jiang Yan, “Are you serious?”

Jiang Yan nodded solemnly, “Couldn’t be more serious. I think that’s a good excuse; you should go.”

“What if he is dead? Should I then take leave to go back for the funeral?”

Jiang Yan gave a thumbs-up, you’re more awesome than I am!

He laughed, “Isn’t whether he’s dead or not up to you?”

Song Jiawen started writing the leave application without any expression, and Jiang Yan leaned over to look, bursting into laughter.

She wasn’t writing about her dad, Song Laosan, but her grandma, Grandmother Song, who was critically ill and wanted to see her for the last time.

“Your leave for just one morning won’t be enough; you’ll need at least a day.”

“I was planning to take a whole day; if there are people at Teacher Song’s place, I plan to paint at least one painting before coming back. I need to earn back the bus fare for the trip.”

Jiang Yan was impressed; you never miss an opportunity, no, that’s not right, how should I put it?

Before Jiang Yan could think of the right words to describe her, Song Jiawen had already finished the leave application and gone to find Teacher Gao in the office.

With such an excuse, Teacher Gao couldn’t possibly refuse; not only was the leave granted without trouble, but she also asked with consideration, “Is one day enough?”

If the old lady was really on her deathbed, then she would need to stay at home for a few days.

Once a lie is told, you have to find a way to round it out.

Song Jiawen kept her composure, “If it’s not enough, I’ll call you. For now, I just need to go and see the situation.”