Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat-Chapter 46 - 043 Investigation of the Truth (Part 2)

Chapter 46 -043 Investigation of the Truth (Part 2)

Chapter 46 -043 Investigation of the Truth (Part 2)

Finally, Teacher Fang had no choice but to seek help from someone she knew. The painting was sealed by her own hands, and it was she who personally mailed it that same afternoon. Are you saying it’s just gone?

Do you think I’m that easily fooled?

She had attended college in the provincial capital and the person she knew was a senior from her previous school, with whom she had a good relationship. He did his best to help her, but in the end, the result was no different from what the teacher responsible for the competition had found.

“Little Fang, I suggest you check if there was any oversight before the painting was mailed out. You know that the president of our association was just replaced this year, and he’s very straightforward. With the new official taking office with vigor, there’s no way such an obvious problem would be allowed in the start of such a big competition. Moreover, this year’s competition is quite special—the finalists can directly apply for Beicheng University—therefore, the selection process was very careful, and the president will be present at the final. In such circumstances, who would dare to be sneaky?”

Right, having the application form but not the painting—even if someone wanted to impersonate, they wouldn’t do something this foolish.

They would take both the painting and the application form.

After hanging up the phone, Teacher Fang sat at her desk with a frown, her brows knitted in deep thought. An oversight before mailing it out? Where could the oversight be?

She began to recall from the moment she sealed the painting that day. The last painting she received was from Deng Tao, then she sealed it, put it in her drawer, and left the office to go to the studio…

Could it be that during the time she was not in the office, someone had opened the paper bag she was going to mail and taken Song Jiawen’s painting?

Teacher Fang’s expression turned stern. Who would do such a thing?

Up until now, she still had no knowledge of the problems between Deng Tao and the students of class one, so naturally, she didn’t suspect her.

Xu Yan had recently become close to Song Jiawen, and both her painting skills and the expression of her ideas had greatly improved, which both surprised and delighted Teacher Fang. She often took Song Jiawen’s paintings after they were completed to show to others, hoping that these uninspired children could gain some inspiration and perhaps make a little progress before the art exams.

Because her attention was focused on this, she had naturally neglected other matters at the school.

Just then, the high school art teacher walked in. Teacher Fang looked at her and asked, “Xiaowang, did anyone enter the office after I left last Monday afternoon?”

She was just asking casually. Would anyone with bad intentions go through her drawer right in front of someone else? That would be absurd.

“Last Monday? Did something happen, Sister Fang?”

Teacher Fang didn’t hide anything. There were only a few art teachers in the office, and they had all seen Song Jiawen’s paintings—they were all eagerly waiting for Song Jiawen to participate in the competition and win awards.

But now, hearing this outcome, Xiaowang was very surprised. “How could such a thing happen? To open your bag and take only Song Jiawen’s painting—it’s clear someone didn’t want her to participate…”

While speaking, Xiaowang seemed to have remembered something; she bit her lip and frowned.

Seeing her expression, Teacher Fang became serious. “What did you think of? Tell me, even if it’s not the case, we need to consider all possibilities. We can’t let someone scheme against us without understanding what happened.”

To downplay the situation, it was just about a student participating in a competition, but on a larger scale, it was a malicious suppression of the school’s reputation, a highly malicious act.

They all had high hopes for Song Jiawen. She was not only participating in the competition herself; she also represented the art teachers of North City No. 1 High School, she represented the entire North City No. 1 High School.

So not only did Teacher Fang want to investigate and understand the situation clearly, but teacher Xiaowang felt the same.

She hesitated, “I didn’t see anyone suspicious enter our office, nor did I see anyone touch your drawer, but lately, many students in the school have been talking about the conflict between senior class one and class six. Have you heard about it?”

The conflict between class one and class six?

Teacher Fang shook her head, “I didn’t pay attention, just tell me, do the conflicts between their two classes have anything to do with Song Jiawen’s painting?”

“Actually, the details I heard are not very thorough, I only know that the conflict between the two classes was caused by Song Jiawen’s painting, related to Deng Tao and Xu Yan. Didn’t you say before that Xu Yan has made great progress because of Song Jiawen? Maybe you should call her over and ask in detail.”

Soon, Xu Yan was called to the office.

Teacher Fang did not mention the disappearance of Song Jiawen’s painting for the competition, but only asked why the conflict between Class 1 and Class 6 had anything to do with Song Jiawen.

Xu Yan angrily said, “What does it have to do with Song Jiawen? She didn’t do anything at all….”

She quickly recounted the development and outcome of the incident to Teacher Fang, and finally said, “These rumors must have been spread by Meng Qing and the people from Class 6, because after Mr. Gao punished Meng Qing, she had to call her parents and was suspended for three days. When she came back, she blamed it all on me and Song Jiawen. Blaming me still has some reason, after all, I did hit her, but Song Jiawen clearly didn’t do anything, she just painted me a painting, and that becomes a reason for her to vent her anger?

“As stupid as a pig, being used so obviously by Deng Tao, yet still treating her as a friend. Now everyone in our class is irritated by her.”

Teacher Fang’s face turned ashen, although she had no evidence to prove it was Deng Tao who took Song Jiawen’s painting from her, the day she received Deng Tao’s painting, it was sealed with glue at the scene. Without careful inspection, it was very difficult to see any traces if the envelope was opened before the glue dried and then resealed.

At that time, she was the only one in the office, and she left hastily after sealing it. Deng Tao, who had just left shortly before her, could have possibly come back, opened the paper bag, took out Song Jiawen’s painting, and resealed it….

Although all the above were conjectures, Teacher Fang was almost eighty percent sure they were true, after all, Deng Tao had the motive and the opportunity.

Damn, if only there had been surveillance in the office.

After Xu Yan left, Xiaowang teacher saw Teacher Fang’s complexion and immediately understood.

She muttered, “So it really was her who did it…”

Today is the last day to finalize the shortlisted candidates. It’s too late now, even if we were to send a new submission, let alone if Song Jiawen were to repaint and deliver it by car.

This Deng Tao….

“Sister Fang, what should we do? Are we just going to let this go?”

After all, there’s no evidence, even if Teacher Fang were to confront her directly, she could simply deny it, leaving Teacher Fang with nothing to say.

And the thought that she still got shortlisted really pissed off Xiaowang teacher. Such a student with poor character really ought to be reported by phone and eliminated from the competition.

But she knew Teacher Fang wouldn’t do that, not even for the school’s sake.

During the second class of the evening self-study, Deng Tao was called out by the homeroom teacher.

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“Teacher Fang told me, your painting got shortlisted.”

Deng Tao was startled upon hearing this, but her face didn’t light up with joy, as if getting shortlisted was expected and nothing to be particularly happy about.

But strangely, she felt that the way the homeroom teacher looked at her was odd.

Suppressing the surprise inside her, she said to the homeroom teacher, “I know, teacher. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to the classroom now.”

“There’s one more thing. Teacher Fang said, even though you’ve been shortlisted, she doesn’t want to take you there. If you want to participate, you’ll have to go on your own. Deng Tao, can you tell me why Teacher Fang would treat you this way?”