Fake Pregnancy? Oops, It’s Real — and So Is the Husband - Chapter 72

[OMG!! What’s happening? How did a real snake get in here?!]

[Is the production team insane? Are they really doing this for ratings?]

[It can’t be the production team’s doing, they wouldn’t dare risk lives like this.]

[I’ve got goosebumps all over, help!!]

[Is Shen Lai okay? She’s still pregnant!!!]

At that moment, someone in the crowd noticed the commotion and let out a piercing scream: “There’s a snake!”

Huo Chilin was in the middle of disposing of medical waste when he heard the noise behind him. Turning around, he saw the panicked expressions on everyone’s faces, as if they had witnessed something terrifying.

Following their gazes, Huo Chilin spotted Shen Lai standing under a tree with a silver-ringed snake slithering up her arm.

His expression darkened instantly. Without thinking, he dropped what he was holding and moved to rush forward, only for someone to grab his sleeve. “Chilin!”

Huo Chilin was forced to stop. He turned to see Bai Hansui shaking her head at him pleadingly. “Don’t go over there. The cameras are still rolling.”

For a brief moment, Huo Chilin hesitated. Seizing the opportunity, Bai Hansui pressed on, “Besides, Pei Jingyan is already there. Even if help is needed, it doesn’t have to be you.”

The mention of Pei Jingyan only made Huo Chilin’s expression turn even uglier. He glanced back at Shen Lai in just those few seconds, the snake had coiled tightly around her slender arm.

Gritting his teeth, Huo Chilin said, “Even if she were just an ordinary friend, I wouldn’t stand by and watch her in danger.”

With that, he shook off Bai Hansui’s grip and sprinted toward Shen Lai.

Bai Hansui stumbled back, nearly falling. As she steadied herself, she watched Huo Chilin’s retreating figure, his urgency and concern unmistakable. A flash of deep resentment flickered in her eyes.

Why?

She was Huo Chilin’s girlfriend, so why did his eyes only ever see Shen Lai?

Meanwhile, Shen Lai stood frozen in place, not daring to move a muscle. The silver-ringed snake had now slithered up to her shoulder, its cold scales pressing against her skin as it flicked its forked tongue with a hiss.

Her eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings caught in a storm. Lifting her gaze, she met Pei Jingyan’s eyes from a distance. His jaw was clenched tight, tension radiating from him.

“Shen Lai, don’t move,” Pei Jingyan’s deep voice was steady, almost soothing.

Shen Lai swallowed hard and gave a slight nod.

Pei Jingyan began advancing slowly. The surroundings were so silent that even the rustling of leaves in the wind was audible. No one dared to breathe too loudly, afraid the snake might suddenly strike.

As Pei Jingyan closed the distance, mere steps away, the snake coiled around Shen Lai’s collarbone seemed to sense danger. Its pupils contracted sharply, and it let out another threatening hiss.

Then, the live-stream audience watched in horror as the silver-ringed snake bared its fangs, a cold glint flashing before their eyes.

The next second, the snake lunged straight for Shen Lai’s neck.

This is it.

That was the only thought in Shen Lai’s mind.

Her body tensed, and she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the bite.

At the critical moment, the cameras captured a dark shadow darting past in a blur.

Time passed minute by minute, but the pain Shen Lai had anticipated never came. She cautiously opened her eyes, only to find Pei Jingyan standing right in front of her at some point, gripping the snake’s vital spot with his bare hands, the veins on his right-hand bulging.

Shen Lai’s eyes widened instantly.

Not far away, Huo Chilin, who had just arrived, abruptly halted his steps, clenching his fists in frustration.

Pei Jingyan actually grabbed a venomous snake barehanded for Shen Lai?

Pei Jingyan swiftly pinned the silver-ringed snake under his foot, then picked up a stone from the ground and smashed it down hard.

Blood splattered onto Pei Jingyan’s cheek, adding a bizarre and eerie touch under the sunlight.

[???? Holy shit, just like that? He killed it????]

[Barehanded against a venomous snake? CEO Pei, you’re too fierce! I wouldn’t dare grab even a non-venomous one like that!]

[If he got bitten by accident, it could’ve been fatal. How deep must his love be to dare grab it like that?]

[Snake: RIP me!]

[Stop whining, you were just unlucky to run into this couple. Don’t you know their ship name is the “Psycho Couple”?]

Shen Lai stared blankly at Pei Jingyan, momentarily at a loss for how to react.

After all, the silver-ringed snake was highly venomous, one wrong move could be deadly.

Yet Pei Jingyan had rushed over without hesitation to grab it for her.

At that moment, Director Miao hurried over with the crew, asking anxiously, “Miss Shen, are you alright?”

Only then did Shen Lai snap out of her daze and shake her head. “I’m fine.”

Director Miao then turned to Pei Jingyan. “CEO Pei, what about you? Are you hurt?”

Hearing this, Shen Lai looked at Pei Jingyan with a complicated expression.

Pei Jingyan remained calm. He lifted his foot, revealing the lifeless silver-ringed snake beneath. “Do I look hurt to you?”

Director Miao sighed in relief. Thankfully, neither Shen Lai nor Pei Jingyan was injured, otherwise, even selling him and the entire show wouldn’t cover the compensation.

Director Miao explained, “We thoroughly checked the set beforehand. I have no idea how a real snake got in.”

Pei Jingyan let out a cold, ambiguous scoff, making Director Miao break into a cold sweat. “Of course, this is our mistake. To make up for the fright you and Miss Shen experienced, we’d like to prepare a lavish dinner for you both as a small token of our apology.”

Pei Jingyan neither accepted nor refused. Instead, he glanced at Shen Lai, who was still distracted, lost in thought over what had just happened.

The sudden appearance of the real snake had interrupted the task, so the game was declared void, and all guests were allowed to return to camp by car.

Just as Shen Lai was about to board the vehicle, a familiar voice called from behind. “Shen Lai.”

She paused mid-step and turned to see Huo Chilin standing there.

Huo Chilin spoke in a low voice, laced with concern. “Are you okay?”

[???? What’s this guy doing now????]

[To be fair, it’s normal to check on an ex, right?]

[If they parted on good terms, sure. But Huo Chilin doesn’t fall into that category, does he?]

[Exactly! Didn’t he deny knowing her before? Why’s he approaching her now?]

[Cheating scumbag, stay away from our Shen Lai!!]

Shen Lai frowned and replied coldly, “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, Young Master Huo.”

Hearing Shen Lai’s distant tone, Huo Chilin pressed his lips into a tight line. “I was actually planning to go and save you, but Pei Jingyan beat me to it.”

Shen Lai feigned calm as she replied, “He’s my husband. If anything happens, he’ll take care of me. There’s no need for Young Master Huo to step in.”

At the word “husband,” Huo Chilin’s knuckles turned white from how tightly he clenched them.

He could tell Shen Lai was deliberately distancing herself from him.

Without sparing him another glance, Shen Lai got straight into the car.

Pei Jingyan was already seated in the back. Shen Lai hesitated for a moment before walking over and sitting beside him.

Pei Jingyan was wiping snake blood off his tie when he heard the movement. He glanced up at Shen Lai.

Shen Lai bit her lip and couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you rush over to save me just now?”