Fake Pregnancy? Oops, It’s Real — and So Is the Husband - Chapter 82

The faint moonlight spilled into the tent, casting a glow on Pei Jingyan’s sharp, well-defined features. His deep, unfathomable eyes were fixed intently on Shen Lai, as if trying to peer into her very soul.

The two were so close that Shen Lai could even feel the firmness of Pei Jingyan’s chest and the scorching heat of his body through their clothes.

Instinctively, Shen Lai pressed her hands against his chest, her expression slightly awkward. “Don’t make it sound so crude, okay? I’m just playing the game from within.”

Pei Jingyan let out a cold, ambiguous snort. “Your ‘playing the game from within’ means making Huo Chilin think you still like him so he’ll break up with Bai Hansui?”

“What do you know? If I don’t do this, how can I expose Bai Hansui’s true colors?”

Pei Jingyan raised an eyebrow. “Expose her?”

Seizing the opportunity, Shen Lai wriggled out of his embrace. “Think about it, after what happened last time, Bai Hansui wouldn’t dare act recklessly again. But if she finds out Huo Chilin is breaking up with her for me, she won’t be able to sit still.”

Besides, even if she outright revealed the truth, at most, people would only learn that Bai Hansui had tampered with the tree fungus. And since nothing serious had happened to her, the matter might just be brushed off as insignificant.

Bai Hansui had repeatedly schemed against her in the shadows. Even the most patient person would have their limits.

Naturally, Shen Lai wasn’t about to let her off so easily.

Hearing her explanation, Pei Jingyan’s dark expression softened slightly. “So you did it on purpose?”

“Of course. Did you really think I was going to get back together with Huo Chilin?” Shen Lai scoffed. “I’m not a garbage collector. I have no interest in trash.”

A hint of amusement finally returned to Pei Jingyan’s eyes.

Seeing his reaction, Shen Lai suddenly realized, why was he so worked up? Even if she really did want to reconcile with Huo Chilin, what did it have to do with Pei Jingyan?

Her gaze turned slightly odd as she studied him, and she blurted out, “Pei Jingyan, you’re not jealous, are you?”

Pei Jingyan’s brow twitched imperceptibly. He withdrew his hand, his tone calm and indifferent. “You’re overthinking it. I just don’t want the cameras catching you sneaking around with your ex, forcing the company to clean up your mess again.”

Despite his words, Shen Lai couldn’t shake the feeling that Pei Jingyan was acting strange today. Then, at the most inopportune moment, Huo Chilin’s words flashed through her mind. She quickly shook her head, pushing the thought away.

Pei Jingyan had already denied it, why was she still dwelling on it?

“By the way, remember that favor I asked you for at the hospital?” Shen Lai changed the subject. “The timing’s right now.”

Pei Jingyan arched an eyebrow. “What favor?”

Glancing around to ensure no one was nearby, Shen Lai leaned in and whispered a few words into his ear.

With Shen Lai and Pei Jingyan’s return, Wilderness Survival resumed filming. The moment the show went live, a flood of fans poured into the stream.

[My beloved empress, you’re finally back! Do you have any idea how I’ve suffered these past few days?!]

[Is Shen Lai okay? Last time scared me to death, first the snake, then the stomachache. Why does all the bad luck fall on her?]

[If I didn’t know it was the crew’s mistake, I’d almost think someone was deliberately targeting Shen Lai.]

Director Miao appeared on camera. “A few days ago, Shen Lai accidentally ate something that upset her stomach, so she took a few days off to recover. Now that she’s fine, we’re continuing with today’s mission!”

“This mission is called the Honeycomb Harvest Challenge. The production team has hidden three beehives in a designated area. Everyone needs to locate the beehives using GPS coordinates or natural clues.”

“During the challenge, there will be fake bee swarms causing interference. You’ll need to find hiding spots to avoid being attacked.”

“The guest who fills their honey bottle the fastest wins. If the honey spills or the bottle isn’t filled, it counts as a mission failure.”

“Guests who fail the mission will have to accept punishments assigned by the other guests.”

“Considering we’ve drawn lots in previous rounds, this time you can freely choose your partners to increase your chances of success.”

Upon hearing this, the guests exchanged glances.

Although they were free to choose, most participants were either couples or married, making it awkward to pick someone else.

Wu Qi was the first to speak up: “I’ll stick with Yan Rui.”

Hearing this, Yan Rui’s lips curled into a faint, pleased smile.

Wu Qi’s ears burned under his gaze, but she feigned composure. “I just don’t want to lose the game, that’s all.”

Yan Rui didn’t call out her flimsy excuse. Instead, he took her hand. “Since you said that, I won’t let you lose.”

[Ahhhh! They’re so sweet, I can’t take it!]

[Their vibe was so off in the last variety show, how did they suddenly become this fluffy here?]

[Yan Rui: When have I ever had issues with Qiqi?]

[Am I the only one who’s been shipping them all along? If they’d really broken up, why would they still appear together on shows? Their interactions clearly show they still have feelings for each other.]

After they made their choice, Dai Jingxuan also announced he’d team up with Tong Miaoling.

That left the Pei Shen and Huo Bai pairs.

Just when everyone assumed these two groups would stay unchanged, Huo Chilin suddenly spoke up: “I’ll team up with Shen Lai.”

[??? Did I hear that right? Huo Chilin chose Shen Lai?]

[Wait, shouldn’t this cheater pick his mistress?]

[Did Huo Chilin accidentally say the wrong name?]

[I don’t think it was a slip-up, look, he’s facing Shen Lai’s direction.]

[Did Huo Chilin actually break up with Bai Hansui? How could he choose another female guest when his girlfriend is right there?]

[Not just any female guest, his ex-girlfriend.]

[If I were Bai Hansui, I’d want to crawl into a hole right now. Your boyfriend doesn’t pick you but instead chooses his ex? That’s beyond humiliating.]

Huo Chilin’s words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring heated discussions in the livestream.

The hashtag #HuoChilinBaiHansuiSuspectedBreakup immediately trended on social media.

Even the other guests gave Huo Chilin odd looks.

Bai Hansui clenched her fists tightly inside her sleeves, the overwhelming humiliation making it hard to breathe.

In this situation, Huo Chilin had chosen Shen Lai—so what did that make her?

Huo Chilin didn’t even glance at Bai Hansui. After making his declaration, he locked eyes with Pei Jingyan, his gaze carrying a hint of provocation.

He was certain Shen Lai would choose him.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have shown vulnerability in front of him last night.

With that thought, Huo Chilin turned to Shen Lai. “Shen Lai, what do you say?”

Shen Lai didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she glanced at Bai Hansui with amusement.

Sure enough, Bai Hansui nearly bit her lips raw. Struggling to suppress her emotions, she forced a stiff smile and spoke up before Shen Lai could answer, “It’s better if Shen Lai and I pair up. We’re both girls, so it’ll be more convenient for completing tasks.”

Hearing this, Huo Chilin frowned slightly.

But with the cameras rolling, he couldn’t say much.

As if worried Shen Lai might refuse, Bai Hansui turned to her with a gentle smile, “What do you think, Shen Lai?”

A faint, inscrutable smile curled at Shen Lai’s lips. “Sure, let’s team up then.”