Fake Pregnancy? Oops, It’s Real — and So Is the Husband - Chapter 99

The bar was filled with loud music, the air thick with the mingling scents of smoke and alcohol. The dim, ambiguous lighting cast shadows over the dance floor, where men and women swayed their hips to the rhythm.

When Pei Jingyan arrived at the bar, he saw Yi Xingyu slumped over the counter, several empty liquor bottles scattered in front of her.

He walked over and said coolly, “Why have you drunk so much?”

Hearing the familiar voice, Yi Xingyu slowly lifted her head. Under the overhead lights, she could make out Pei Jingyan’s face, every feature so perfect it seemed sculpted by Nuwa herself.

Her cheeks were flushed, her gaze hazy. Propping herself up on the counter, she stood unsteadily before swaying toward him, as if about to collapse into his arms.

Pei Jingyan caught her by the shoulders, keeping her at a distance. “I’ll have someone take you home.”

“I don’t want to go back,” Yi Xingyu murmured, her usually sharp and stern voice now soft and slurred with drunkenness. “I want to keep drinking.”

Pei Jingyan had no patience for drunken rambling. He pulled out his phone to make a call.

But the next second, his wrist was suddenly seized. He paused and looked up at her.

Yi Xingyu gripped his wrist tightly through his suit sleeve. “Jingyan, have a drink with me.”

His tone remained indifferent. “I don’t have time to waste here.”

Yi Xingyu laughed, her smile laced with mockery. “What, are you in a hurry to go back to Shen Lai?”

Pei Jingyan’s brows furrowed slightly.

“Weren’t you two sworn enemies? It’s not like your relationship was ever that deep, was it?” Yi Xingyu subtly closed the distance between them. “You only married her because she got pregnant, right?”

Pei Jingyan regarded her coldly. “You’re truly drunk.”

Just as he tried to shake off her grip, her arms suddenly wrapped around him. “Jingyan, I like you.”

His frown deepened as she continued, “It’s because of you that I came back. Otherwise, why would I leave behind such a promising career on Wall Street?”

When Pei Jingyan didn’t respond, Yi Xingyu took it as a sign of mutual interest. Encouraged, she boldly slid her hand over his chest, fingers trailing downward. “I know you only married Shen Lai for the child. It has nothing to do with love.”

“If you’re willing, I don’t need any status or title.”

She tilted her head up, attempting to kiss him but before her lips could touch his cheek, Pei Jingyan turned away.

Yi Xingyu froze mid-motion.

His voice was icy. “Don’t presume to know me.”

Her limbs stiffened. In all the years they had known each other, he had never spoken to her so harshly.

“So you called me here tonight just to spout this nonsense?” Pei Jingyan’s tone was frigid. “If that’s all, you can leave now. I’ll pretend I never heard any of it, and don’t bring it up again in the future.”

With that, he turned to leave. But the emotions she had been suppressing all night finally erupted. Watching his retreating figure, she blurted out recklessly, “If it were Shen Lai kissing you, would you not reject her?”

Pei Jingyan slowly halted. He glanced back at her, his expression utterly blank.

“Yi Xingyu, I brought you back for work, not for romance.”

“If you came back just to flirt with me, you can turn around and go back abroad right now.”

These words felt like a bucket of ice water poured over her head, chilling Yi Xingyu to the bone, every pore on her body radiating a piercing cold.

Gritting her teeth in frustration, she retorted, “Are you sure Shen Lai really likes you?”

“She’s only with you for the money. She admitted it herself today.”

Pei Jingyan caught the flaw in her words, narrowing his eyes slightly, his tone icy. “You went to see her?”

Yi Xingyu froze, an inexplicable chill rising from the soles of her feet. She had known Pei Jingyan for so long but had never seen such a cold look in his eyes, as if he might kill someone the next second.

When Yi Xingyu remained silent, Pei Jingyan connected the dots with Shen Lai’s indifferent attitude when she returned tonight. Now he understood why she had been so out of character.

“Yi Xingyu, do you know why I let you come back?” Pei Jingyan suddenly spoke up.

Yi Xingyu bit her lip. “To come back for work.”

“Good that you know.” Pei Jingyan’s gaze was utterly cold. “If you show up in front of her again and spout that nonsense, don’t blame me if we can’t even remain ordinary friends.”

Without another glance at Yi Xingyu, Pei Jingyan turned and left the bar.

Watching his retreating figure, Yi Xingyu slumped into her seat, her spirit seemingly drained, sitting motionless in utter dejection.

Second floor of the villa, guest bedroom.

After showering, Shen Lai lay on the bed memorizing lines. Her company had recently secured her a cameo in a film. Though her role was small, she’d heard it was significant.

This might be Shen Lai’s chance to break into the film industry.

Just as she was reciting her lines, there was a knock at the door.

Only Pei Jingyan would knock on her door at home, so there was no need to guess who it was.

Shen Lai initially considered pretending to be asleep, but then Pei Jingyan’s deep voice sounded from outside. “I know you’re awake.”

Her little ruse exposed and the knocking persistent, Shen Lai sighed helplessly, closed her script, and went to open the door.

Pei Jingyan stood outside, backlit, his expression unreadable.

“Did Yi Xingyu come to see you today?”

Shen Lai hadn’t expected his first question to be this and was momentarily stunned.

Pei Jingyan’s dark eyes bore into her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Shen Lai lowered her gaze. “What was there to say?”

After all, Yi Xingyu wasn’t wrong, their marriage had indeed started because of the pregnancy.

Pei Jingyan took in her expression and, after a moment of silence, said, “Whatever she told you, none of it is true.”

Shen Lai let out a faint, ambiguous laugh and met his gaze. “What isn’t true?”

Pei Jingyan held her stare, enunciating each word. “Everything.”

Shen Lai choked up. She hadn’t wanted to seem like she cared, but the things Yi Xingyu had said gnawed at her.

She turned her head away. “She told me all about how you two used to have meals together in college, worked on group projects, and even co-hosted seminars.”

Pei Jingyan replied coolly, “She was the one who approached me. It had nothing to do with me.”

Shen Lai pursed her lips. “You’re washing your hands of it pretty thoroughly.”

Pei Jingyan took a step forward, his shadow enveloping her. “If there had ever been anything between us, we would’ve been together long ago. Why would I have married you?”

Shen Lai scoffed, “You didn’t marry me because you liked me, so what does this have to do with anything?”

“How do you know it wasn’t?”

Pei Jingyan blurted out.