Fake Pregnancy? Oops, It’s Real — and So Is the Husband - Chapter 97

Seeing the increasingly odd look in Pei Jingyan’s eyes, Shen Lai genuinely wanted to drop to her knees and beg her mother to stop talking.

Just then, a hand suddenly rested on her waist. Pei Jingyan said, “Mom, we didn’t fight. There was just a small misunderstanding, but we’ve already talked it out.”

The warmth of his palm seemed to seep through her clothes and into her skin. Shen Lai looked up and met his gaze, the words he’d said last night flashing through her mind. A surge of warmth filled her chest.

She lowered her eyes slightly. “Mm, we’ve talked it out.”

Seeing their intimate demeanor, Chang Suning’s anxious heart finally settled. Relieved, she said, “That’s good. As long as you two communicate openly, any misunderstanding between a married couple can be resolved.”

Pei Jingyan’s voice carried a playful note. “You’re absolutely right. We’ll definitely communicate more in the future.”

He deliberately emphasized the words “communicate more,” lacing them with a hint of deeper meaning.

Shen Lai coughed lightly, pretending not to catch the implication, and quickly steered the conversation toward her recent prenatal check-up.

After leaving the hospital, they got back into the car when Shen Lai suddenly remembered something. “By the way, have you heard? Dai Jingxuan and Tong Miaoling were exposed as having divorced a long time ago.”

Pei Jingyan’s brow twitched imperceptibly, but his expression remained unchanged. “No, I never pay attention to online news.”

Shen Lai thought that made sense, Pei Jingyan was swamped with work every day. When would he have time to scroll through Weibo?

She muttered to herself, “Wu Qi said the news broke right after they finished filming the show. Don’t you think the timing is a little too coincidental?”

Pei Jingyan leaned lazily against the seat. “They’re even more famous now. Isn’t it normal for paparazzi to be watching them?”

That was a fair point. Even someone as low-profile as her had been tailed by paparazzi after appearing on two variety shows, let alone a powerhouse celebrity couple like Dai Jingxuan and Tong Miaoling. There were probably countless people digging for dirt on them.

Shen Lai didn’t dwell on it further, her attention soon shifting elsewhere.

That evening, she had an advertisement shoot scheduled. Pei Jingyan had the driver take her to the studio.

“I’ll head in now,” Shen Lai said through the lowered car window to Pei Jingyan in the backseat.

Pei Jingyan gave a slight nod. “Come home early tonight.”

The exchange sounded like something a newlywed husband would say to his wife. Shen Lai’s ears burned as she mumbled, “I’ll try.”

Noticing Pei Jingyan showed no sign of leaving, she couldn’t help but urge him, “You should go now. Don’t block the way for others.”

Only then did Pei Jingyan instruct the driver to leave.

Watching the car drive away, Shen Lai patted her flushed cheeks, feeling the heat spread all the way down her neck.

Once she’d finally calmed down and was about to enter the studio, a familiar voice called out to her.

Turning around, she saw Huo Chilin standing under a streetlamp in the distance, who knew how long he’d been waiting there.

Shen Lai frowned. “What are you doing here?”

Huo Chilin approached her, his voice low. “I saw your schedule online and came.”

Shen Lai didn’t understand why Huo Chilin was keeping tabs on her. After parting ways on the island, they hadn’t been in contact at all. She had nearly forgotten about him.

“What do you want?” Her tone was icy.

Huo Chilin’s expression was grave. “I saw the news online about Pei Jingyan’s affair.”

Shen Lai’s brow twitched slightly as Huo Chilin continued, “That woman is the one he cheated with, isn’t she?”

Shen Lai’s tone was laced with sarcasm, “Young Master Huo has so much free time now, even keeping up with paparazzi gossip?”

Hu Chilin frowned, “Do you really believe they’re just ordinary friends? That’s clearly meant to fool you.”

No one understood a man’s mind better than Huo Chilin, always eyeing what’s in the pot while eating from the bowl. No matter how beautiful or unique Shen Lai was, given enough time, the novelty would wear off.

Hadn’t he himself once made the same mistake all men are prone to make?

Shen Lai frowned and looked at Huo Chilin, “What do you mean?”

Huo Chilin took a step forward, his expression serious. “Shen Lai, a man like that doesn’t deserve you. You’ve only been married for a few months, and he couldn’t even endure the loneliness before cheating. It’ll only get worse from here.”

Shen Lai laughed, “He doesn’t deserve me, so you do?”

“Don’t forget how you once pursued Bai Hansui.”

Had this news broken earlier, Shen Lai might not have believed it. But after what Pei Jingyan said yesterday, she no longer doubted it.

If Pei Jingyan really wanted to cheat, he wouldn’t have bothered lying to her.

After all, theirs wasn’t a real marriage.

Huo Chilin’s jaw tightened into a hard line, but he said nothing.

“How he treats me is my business. I don’t need you meddling here,” Shen Lai replied, her voice distant and cold. “Besides, this is between me and my husband. It has nothing to do with an outsider like you.”

Huo Chilin clenched his fists tightly. “Have you really fallen for him?”

This time, Shen Lai didn’t rush to answer. Instead, she fell silent.

She wasn’t sure if she had developed feelings for Pei Jingyan.

Her silence, in Huo Chilin’s eyes, was tantamount to admission. In that instant, his heart twisted painfully. Even though he knew they were already married, he had clung to the hope that their union was merely a matter of convenience.

Huo Chilin took a deep breath. “Shen Lai, I wronged you before. Maybe you don’t believe me, but I truly regret it.”

“I’ll keep waiting for you, until you change your mind.”

“Whenever you regret your decision, you can come to me anytime. My door will always be open for you.”

Shen Lai said nothing.

From the moment they broke up, there was no chance left between them.

Without sparing Huo Chilin another glance, Shen Lai turned and walked into the photography building. Even without looking back, she could feel the burning gaze fixed on her from behind.

The scandal about Pei Jingyan’s alleged affair quickly ended with the paparazzi issuing a public apology. The comments under the Weibo post were filled with outrage, condemning the outlet for having no moral limits in pursuit of profit.

[Anyone who’s watched those two variety shows would never believe Pei Jingyan would cheat. Give me a break, a mistress? He and Shen Lai are clearly on great terms.]

[You had to mess with the wrong person. Boss Pei could crush you like ants.]

[But that photo did look suspicious. Would ordinary friends touch each other like that? And since Pei is married, shouldn’t he maintain some distance?]

[Hey, get your facts straight, it was the woman touching Pei, not the other way around. Why aren’t you telling her to keep her distance from a married man?]

[Exactly. By that logic, married people shouldn’t have any social interactions at all. Might as well lock themselves at home, why even go out?]

[Now we’re blaming the victim? Dirty minds see filth everywhere.]

The incident was soon forgotten. Shen Lai continued working as usual. Though whispers had circulated behind her back at first, they gradually faded away.

That day, after finishing a cosmetics commercial shoot, Shen Lai was packing up to leave when someone suddenly knocked on her car window.

As the window rolled down, Yi Xingyu stood outside.

Yi Xingyu said, “Miss Shen, do you have a moment to talk?”