Fake Pregnancy? Oops, It’s Real — and So Is the Husband - Chapter 7

Shen Lai’s eyes widened abruptly. “Me and Pei Jingyan?”

Wan Shilan nodded. “After CEO Pei exposed your relationship on Weibo that night, many TV stations have been scrambling to invite you two. This variety show reportedly booked several high-profile celebrity couples. If not for the huge buzz around you and CEO Pei, you might not even have gotten the chance.”

Shen Lai’s mind was in chaos.

Her and Pei Jingyan on a dating show? What kind of joke was this?

They weren’t even a real couple.

Unaware of Shen Lai’s thoughts, Wan Shilan mistook her hesitation for shyness and reassured her, “Think about it… appearing on this show would not only showcase your marital relationship with CEO Pei but also help clear up the ‘sleeping your way to the top’ controversy. Plus, it’d be a chance to shake off the ‘infamous’ label. Three birds with one stone.”

Shen Lai thought to herself that if she and Pei Jingyan were truly married, appearing on such a show wouldn’t be a problem.

But they had no real relationship.

Even their marriage certificate was only obtained so Pei Jingyan could secure his inheritance rights.

And it went without saying… Pei Jingyan would never agree to appear on a show and put himself in the spotlight.

Wan Shilan patted Shen Lai’s shoulder. “Talk it over with CEO Pei when you get back. If you can make it happen, it’d be a huge boost for your career.”

Shen Lai reluctantly agreed, though her mind was still in turmoil.

By the time she returned to the villa, it was already dark. Shen Lai walked into the living room and saw Pei Jingyan seated at the dining table. His suit jacket was draped over the chair, his white dress shirt outlining broad, smooth shoulders and a chest so well-defined it stretched the fabric into a tantalizing curve, accentuating his lean, athletic waistline.

A middle-aged woman Shen Lai didn’t recognize stood beside him.

Shen Lai looked at Pei Jingyan in confusion.

Noticing her gaze, Pei Jingyan tilted his chin slightly. “This is your nutritionist. From now on, she’ll be responsible for your meals until you give birth.”

Shen Lai hadn’t expected Pei Jingyan to hire a nutritionist for her and instinctively refused. “That’s not necessary, is it?”

Pei Jingyan’s eyes dropped to her abdomen, his tone meaningful. “It’s not for you. It’s for the child in your belly.”

Shen Lai’s fingers stiffened.

She had almost forgotten… Pei Jingyan was her sworn enemy. There was no way he’d care about her.

Of course, it was all for the sake of the baby.

Shen Lai didn’t argue further. She was just the contractor here… whatever the client said, she’d do.

After the nutritionist finished preparing dinner and left, only Shen Lai and Pei Jingyan remained in the dining room.

As she ate, Shen Lai mulled over Wan Shilan’s words earlier and couldn’t help glancing up at Pei Jingyan across the table, hesitating over how to bring it up.

Just then, Pei Jingyan suddenly lifted his gaze and met her eyes.

Caught like a thief, Shen Lai quickly looked away.

Noticing her hesitation, Pei Jingyan arched a brow and set down his chopsticks. “What is it?”

After a pause, Shen Lai relayed Wan Shilan’s proposal to him.

“A dating show?” Pei Jingyan narrowed his eyes, rolling the words on his tongue.

Shen Lai hummed in confirmation.

She didn’t hold out much hope and quickly added, “If you don’t want to appear on camera, I can just tell them…”

“Alright.” Pei Jingyan suddenly spoke up.

Shen Lai was stunned, her eyes widening as she looked at him. “You agreed?”

She had thought Pei Jingyan would refuse without hesitation.

Leaning back in his chair, Pei Jingyan replied lazily, “Since we’re putting on a show, we might as well go all the way. I don’t want any issues before securing the inheritance rights.”

Shen Lai quickly realized that if the two of them participated in such a program, the Pei family would never suspect it was all an act.

This would be a huge advantage for Pei Jingyan in securing the inheritance.

Hesitantly, she asked, “So… should I reply to Lan-jie like this?”

Pei Jingyan gave a slight nod, tacitly agreeing.

Shen Lai took out her phone and sent a message to Wan Shilan. Upon hearing that Pei Jingyan had agreed, Wan Shilan was visibly excited and said she would immediately inform the production team.

“How was your first day at the new company?” Pei Jingyan’s voice suddenly broke the silence.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Shen Lai put away her phone. “It was good. Lan-jie is very professional.”

From their conversation, it was clear that Wan Shilan was a seasoned expert in entertainment industry marketing. Though Shen Lai didn’t know who she had previously managed, it definitely wasn’t a minor figure.

Curious, Shen Lai asked, “By the way, when did Polai Entertainment open? I’ve never heard of it before.”

The Pei Group’s businesses spanned international trade, port operations, petrochemicals, and more, but she had never heard of them venturing into entertainment.

Pei Jingyan gave her a deep look. “In any case, it’s been around longer than you’ve been in the industry.”

Shen Lai pretended not to catch his sarcasm. “The Pei Group is interested in the entertainment industry too?”

Leaning back again, Pei Jingyan said, “If even the esteemed Miss Shen can enter the entertainment world, what’s so strange about the Pei Group opening an entertainment company?”

Though his words were harsh, they weren’t entirely wrong. Entertainment companies were booming, and many entrepreneurs wanted a piece of the pie.

Her father had once mentioned wanting to start one too.

At the thought of her father, Shen Lai’s mood darkened. She lowered her gaze, gripping the spoon tightly, her eyelashes casting a faint shadow over her eyes.

The atmosphere in the dining room grew quiet. Pei Jingyan watched as Shen Lai stared blankly at her bowl, lost in thought.

With a teasing lift of his brow, he asked, “Did I upset you by saying that?”

Shen Lai took a quiet breath. “No, I was just thinking about my dad.”

Pei Jingyan narrowed his eyes slightly. “Chairman Shen?”

Shen Lai seemed reluctant to discuss her father in front of others and gave a vague response. Suddenly, she lost her appetite for the food in front of her.

She wondered how her father was doing now.

Surprisingly, Pei Jingyan didn’t mock her when the topic of her imprisoned father came up. Instead, he tapped his fingers lightly on the table. “What exactly happened with your father? I heard he was reported?”

The incident had made the news, and anyone who followed current affairs would know, especially someone like Pei Jingyan, who moved in those circles.

Shen Lai didn’t deny it. “My father had a vice president named Han Xinjie. He was the one who reported my dad to the investigation team.”

Pei Jingyan’s eyes narrowed further, his tone taking on an inscrutable depth. “Vice president?”

Shen Lai nodded. “He and my dad were very close, like brothers. No one knows why he did it. And my father never did any of those things.”

She knew her father would never mix substandard, rejection-prone impurities into the artificial joint materials. Yet patients who received them experienced implant fractures and infections, which ultimately destroyed the Shen Group’s reputation and stock price.

As she spoke, Shen Lai suddenly couldn’t help but mock herself. Why was she telling Pei Jingyan, her sworn rival, all this? He was probably gloating over her family’s misfortune.

“Forget it, it’s all in the past.” Shen Lai set down her spoon and stood up. “I’m done eating. I’m going upstairs.”

She left the dining room, her figure quickly disappearing around the staircase corner.

Watching Shen Lai’s despondent retreat, Pei Jingyan’s gaze shifted to the bowl in front of her… the food inside was barely touched.

Back in her room, Shen Lai sat on the edge of the bed and scrolled through her contacts before dialing a number.

“Hello, any news on Han Xinjie?”

The man on the other end replied, “Sorry, Miss Shen. There’s still no trace of him.”

Shen Lai was disappointed.

Half a year ago, after her father’s incident, Han Xinjie had vanished without a trace. That was why Shen Lai had hired a private investigator to track him down.

But after six months, there was still nothing.

Perhaps because she had been disappointed too many times, Shen Lai remained calm. “Then please keep looking. Contact me anytime if you find anything.”

“Understood.”

After hanging up, Shen Lai steadied her emotions and went to take a shower.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she saw a reply from Wan Shilan, she had already responded to the production team, and the director was thrilled, promising to send the schedule and location details later.

But Shen Lai couldn’t relax.

The thought of pretending to be a loving couple with Pei Jingyan on the show gave her a headache.

Faking a marriage and having a child with her nemesis was already absurd enough. Now they had to flaunt their “love” in public? How was that any different from forcing two cats to mate in front of a crowd?

That same night, the production team of Rumors End on the Journey posted promotional posters of four couples on Weibo.

The most eye-catching were Bai Hansui and Huo Chilin, the hottest celebrity couple at the moment.

[I heard this show was inviting Bai Hansui and Huo Chilin… didn’t think it was true!]

[What’s the production team implying? Our “Lin-Sui CP” is doing just fine!]

[It’s all because of that bitch Shen Lai riding their coattails, making people doubt our faves’ relationship.]

[Don’t get worked up, guys. Going on a variety show is good, let the haters see how in love our Lin-Sui CP really is!]

The other two couples were just as intriguing: an award-winning actor and actress rumored to be divorcing, and a singer couple who had trended for a cheating scandal.

[Gotta hand it to the production team, they really know how to stir the pot, picking all the hottest drama magnets.]

[They’re going all out. Even someone like me, who never watches variety shows, is curious now.]

[But why isn’t there a photo for the last couple? Are they special guests?]

The anonymous commenter guessed right.

The production team deliberately kept it a mystery, planning to reveal the final pair live on the show.

The secrecy sparked endless speculation in the comments, momentarily overshadowing discussions about Bai Hansui and Huo Chilin.

[Who could it be, making them so tight-lipped?]

[Production team, if you’re gonna tease us like this, you’ve got my attention.]

[Could it be some A-lister? Maybe an award-winning actor or actress?]

[Same here, even the award-winning actor couple has been announced. Just how big of a star must this pair be for the show to keep it under wraps like this?]

[Ahhhhh, I’m so curious I could scream! Show crew, I command you to reveal it now!]

Amid the chorus of wails in the comments section, the production team rubbed their chins in satisfaction behind the screens.

The most talked-about couple, of course, had to be saved for last.

Even after the director logged off, the barrage of comments continued speculating about the identity of this unannounced pair, practically guessing every name in the entertainment industry.

Then, out of nowhere, someone in the comments suddenly said:

[Wait… could it be who I’m thinking of? Didn’t she just go public with her relationship a few days ago? Or wait… more like her marriage.]

[I know who you’re thinking of, but don’t even go there.]

[Seriously, would that D-list nobody even qualify to share the same stage as our Suisui?]

[Whoever just mentioned Shen Lai… are you her? I suggest you wash up and go to bed. Keep dreaming.]

Almost no one took this absurd comment seriously.

If it weren’t for Shen Lai’s pregnancy nausea going viral during a livestream, the entertainment industry wouldn’t even know she existed.

There was no way a dating show packed with A-list guests would ever invite someone like her.