Fake Pregnancy? Oops, It’s Real — and So Is the Husband - Chapter 19

Huo Chilin’s expression darkened instantly.

Shen Lai wasn’t looking at him, she was looking at the instant noodles in front of him?

Without even sparing him a glance, Shen Lai continued busily picking out ingredients.

Huo Chilin let out a bitter laugh.

Fine, fine.

He’d just have to see how long Shen Lai could keep up this act!

Before long, all four pairs of guests had selected their ingredients. After the staff tied the ribbons, the game officially began.

The other pairs had the man’s left hand tied to the woman’s right hand, but Shen Lai’s group did the opposite.

It wasn’t that she particularly enjoyed cooking, she just didn’t trust Pei Jingyan’s skills at all.

“Miss Shen, are you sure you can handle this?” Pei Jingyan drawled lazily. “Are we going to miss breakfast today?”

Shen Lai swallowed nervously. “It’ll definitely be better than whatever you could manage.”

Pei Jingyan was clearly the type of privileged young master who’d never lifted a finger in the kitchen. He probably didn’t even know how to boil water. If he were in charge, the two of them would be left starving.

Pei Jingyan quirked his lips, unusually refraining from mocking her. “Alright then, let’s see just how good your cooking really is.”

After the Shen family went bankrupt, Shen Lai had specifically learned how to cook. Though she only made simple dishes, they were at least edible.

Determined not to let Pei Jingyan look down on her, she decided to show off her skills today.

“Mr. Pei, I’ll need you to cooperate later,” Shen Lai said meaningfully, glancing at their bound hands. “Otherwise, don’t blame me if we don’t get breakfast.”

Pei Jingyan’s lips curved slightly. “Don’t worry. For the sake of breakfast, I’ll cooperate.”

Shen Lai had initially worried Pei Jingyan might sabotage her, but things went smoother than expected. She prepped the vegetables while Pei Jingyan washed them, their coordination was surprisingly seamless.

He was probably worried about missing breakfast too.

Finally, after getting the noodles into the pot, Shen Lai could relax a little. But the moment she lowered her hand, she accidentally brushed against the back of Pei Jingyan’s hand.

The scorching heat transmitted through their skin felt almost searing.

Shen Lai’s throat tightened, and she couldn’t help but say, “Mr. Pei, could you keep your hand a little farther from mine?”

Pei Jingyan lifted their bound hands slightly, raising an eyebrow. “Miss Shen, care to explain how I’m supposed to move it?”

Shen Lai was left speechless.

Stupid show and their ridiculous games, what was this “Couples’ Kitchen Challenge” nonsense? She and Pei Jingyan were nothing more than sworn rivals!

Just then, Shen Lai suddenly heard the sound of boiling water. She looked down and saw the pot was overflowing.

“Oh no!”

Startled, she hurried to turn off the stove, forgetting in her panic that her left hand was still tied to Pei Jingyan’s right.

The sudden tug pulled Pei Jingyan forward. With the kitchen island behind her, Shen Lai found herself trapped in the space between his arms, almost as if she were being embraced.

The air around them seemed to fill with an unspoken tension. As their eyes met, Shen Lai’s heart inexplicably raced.

[Ahhhhhhhh what is this, a K-drama scene?!]

[Even cooking turns into this, I can’t take it anymore!]

[At this point, not kissing would be a crime!]

[Or just go all the way, we wouldn’t mind!]

Then, a voice laced with suppressed irritation came from beside them.

“If you’re not going to cook, at least move aside. Some of us still need to use the kitchen. Can you take your lovey-dovey act somewhere else?”

Shen Lai turned her head and saw Huo Chilin staring at them with a grim expression.

[Wait, what does this have to do with him? It’s just a young couple doing their thing.]

[Yeah, isn’t Huo Chilin overreacting? They’re not even cooking in the same spot, how is this bothering him?]

Even viewers who usually sided with Huo Chilin felt his reaction was off, almost like he was deliberately picking a fight.

But some fans couldn’t stay silent and jumped to his defense.

[Huo Chilin probably thinks Shen Lai and President Pei are being distracting. Can’t they save the PDA for another time? Do they really have to flaunt their relationship while doing a task?]

[Why are there suddenly so many people hating on Huo Chilin and Suisui? Are the bigwigs behind this trying to hide their tracks?]

[The “Lin-sui” CP is doing just fine, thank you very much.]

Pei Jingyan’s lips curled into an ambiguous smile. “Who said we’re not cooking? We are cooking.”

As he spoke, he deliberately raised their bound hands, as if taunting Huo Chilin.

Huo Chilin clenched his jaw so hard it audibly creaked.

[I seriously suspect President Pei is making an innuendo here.]

[This kind of “cooking” isn’t the usual kind, is it? (smirking)]

[Why does it feel like there’s some serious tension between these two?]

[If your eyes are messed up, go see an optometrist. Do you really think your idol is so irresistible that everyone’s obsessed with her?]

Pei Jingyan added nonchalantly, “If Huo Chilin finds it unpleasant, he’s welcome to show off with his girlfriend too. We don’t mind.”

His composed demeanor only made Huo Chilin seem petty in comparison. Huo Chilin practically hissed through gritted teeth, “I’m not like some people who go out of their way to flaunt their relationship, even posting their marriage certificate online.”

“Marriage certificate?” Pei Jingyan raised an eyebrow. “You mean this?”

Then, in the next second, the live audience watched as Pei Jingyan reached into his suit pocket with his left hand and pulled out a red… marriage certificate.

[???????? Someone tell me what I’m seeing.]

[Did President Pei just… carry his marriage certificate with him?]

[This man is next-level! I’ve never seen anyone keep their marriage certificate on them before.]

[President Pei, you’re down bad.]

Not just Huo Chilin, even Shen Lai was stunned.

Why did Pei Jingyan bring their marriage certificate here?

Huo Chilin’s pupils constricted as he stared at the certificate in Pei Jingyan’s hand, as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.

Pei Jingyan actually brought their marriage certificate onto the show!

Huo Chilin struggled to suppress his emotions, but his clenched fists betrayed his unease. Forcing a calm tone, he said, “President Pei, would you mind letting me take a look?”

Pei Jingyan smirked. “Of course not. Be my guest.”

Without caring about the cameras, Huo Chilin snatched the certificate and flipped it open. The first thing he saw was the photo of Shen Lai and Pei Jingyan, the same one Pei Corporation had posted on Weibo that night.

The registration date was the day after Shen Lai had been accused of being pregnant.

If this were a fake certificate, Pei Jingyan wouldn’t dare bring it on the show, it’d be too easy to expose. He wasn’t that stupid.

Which meant… this marriage certificate was real.

Shen Lai and Pei Jingyan were actually married?!

At that moment, it felt like an invisible hand had seized Huo Chilin’s heart, squeezing so tightly he could barely breathe.

Pei Jingyan took in Huo Chilin’s reaction, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Young Master Huo, now that you’ve seen it, shouldn’t you return it to me?”

Huo Chilin pressed his lips together stubbornly. “Who carries their marriage certificate around on purpose? President Pei, don’t you think this is a bit too deliberate?”

Pei Jingyan raised a brow lazily, his tone casual yet pointed. “Apologies. It’s my first time having a wife, so I couldn’t resist showing off a little. Hope you understand.”