Running Away While Pregnant with the Villain’s Child - Chapter 17

Luo Xingran had no intention of hiding anything; she recounted everything that had happened in her dream exactly as it occurred.

“You’re saying that in your dream, someone told you to be afraid of Pei Junzhuo, and then you actually became afraid?”

Hearing this, Tan Nuannuan seemed even more tense than Pei Junzhuo herself. Obviously, she really didn’t want Shen Yao to be afraid of her.

“That’s terrifying!”

Shen Yao stood to the side in shock. After pondering for a moment, she offered a somewhat unreliable suggestion.

“How about this: Pei Junzhuo, you change into a different style of clothes. Then the few of us will go out to eat and hang out for a while to see if Student Luo’s fear improves a bit.”

In truth, while Luo Xingran was speaking, she was quite afraid they would think she was strange. After all, the whole thing was so bizarre that it sounded strange even to her own ears.

However, they truly believed her.

At that thought, Luo Xingran felt a warmth spreading through her heart.

“Shall we give it a try?”

Knowing that Luo Xingran was currently afraid of her, Pei Junzhuo stopped approaching her. Not only that, she silently took two steps back.

Noticing Pei Junzhuo’s movement, Luo Xingran suppressed the fear in her heart and tried to walk toward her.

“I’ll head back first. How about we meet at the arcade later?”

As Pei Junzhuo spoke, she took another two steps back.

“Great idea! I haven’t really been there since high school.”

Sensing the awkward atmosphere between the two, Shen Yao hurried forward and took Luo Xingran’s arm.

“That’s right. Pei Junzhuo and I are headed the same way. Let’s meet at the arcade entrance around 6:30.”

Tan Nuannuan kept a certain distance from the two and smiled at them. Shen Yao immediately understood Tan Nuannuan’s meaning and practically half-carried, half-coaxed Luo Xingran away.

“What kind of look is that? Do you think I want Shen Yao to be so close to her?”

Tan Nuannuan crossed her arms and gave Pei Junzhuo an exasperated look.

“I didn’t say anything,” Pei Junzhuo replied with a calm, breezy smile.

Tan Nuannuan didn’t bother responding. Only a blind person could have missed that look of possessiveness just now.

“Let’s go. Let’s see if changing your style can solve this problem.”

Hearing Tan Nuannuan’s words, Pei Junzhuo nodded.

After walking in silence for a while, Pei Junzhuo spoke up: “Why do you believe what she said? Don’t you think what she’s saying goes far beyond common sense?”

Hearing this, Tan Nuannuan turned to look at her. Her gaze was very clear, like a pool of still lake water.

“Does it matter? If she says it’s true, then it’s true. If she told me it was a lie, I would work with Shen Yao to help her stay away from you.”

Tan Nuannuan didn’t hide anything; her words were blunt. To anyone else, these words might have felt like a jab to the heart, but Pei Junzhuo didn’t feel that way.

“Is that what you think?” she simply asked in a flat tone.

“After all, regardless of anything else, if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have met Shen Yao.”

Tan Nuannuan nodded, speaking her mind directly. She felt no need to hide anything from Pei Junzhuo.

Hearing this, Pei Junzhuo changed the subject.

“What do you plan to do? Sooner or later, Shen Yao will see your true colors. For her, what she feels for you might only ever be friendship. Can you accept that outcome?”

Pei Junzhuo was testing her directly; she wanted to know if Tan Nuannuan was the same type of person as herself.

Unexpectedly, Tan Nuannuan fell silent for a long time. She was quiet for so long that Pei Junzhuo thought she wasn’t going to answer the question at all.

“I will do what I should do. If she never realizes it, being friends for a lifetime isn’t so bad. At least as a friend, I don’t run the risk of losing her.”

As Tan Nuannuan spoke, her eyes remained fixed on the roof of a distant house. It was a red roof, high and far away, looking exceptionally beautiful under the sunlight.

“If I continue to make no progress in my life, there’s no need to drag the sun down from the sky to soak in the mire with me.”

As Tan Nuannuan spoke, she felt a bit ridiculous. In fact, if anyone had asked her this question even three months ago, her answer would never have been this. If she liked someone, she would have them at any cost.

But these past few months—the months since she met Shen Yao—had changed her too much. She wanted to stay by Shen Yao’s side forever, but more than that, she feared Shen Yao being unhappy. Besides, given the strength of the Shen family, it wasn’t realistic for her to force anything even if she wanted to.

“Liking is about taking and obtaining, but love isn’t. Love is making her happy.”

“Shen Yao is a dummy—sunny, cheerful, and in love with life.”

“It’s best for her to stay that way forever.”

“As for me, I’ll always find a way to survive.”

After finishing, Tan Nuannuan turned and gave Pei Junzhuo a mocking smile.

“People like me have been experts at surviving since the day we were born.”

Pei Junzhuo knew a bit about Tan Nuannuan’s background. She hadn’t expected Tan Nuannuan to be so open-minded, nor had she expected her to think this way.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Tan Nuannuan asked. “If Luo Xingran fell in love with someone else, would you refuse to let go?”

Before the other could answer, Tan Nuannuan added, “You would definitely let go, too.”

“I wouldn’t. I would use every scheme and tactic at my disposal to ensure Xingran only ever loves me.”

When Pei Junzhuo finished speaking, she was met with Tan Nuannuan’s shocked expression.

“Why so surprised? You only think the way you do now because you feel the Shen family is an insurmountable giant,” Pei Junzhuo said. “If you and Shen Yao were on equal footing, you’d find that love is about the other person’s happiness, but it’s also full of possessiveness.”

Pei Junzhuo’s matter-of-fact attitude took Tan Nuannuan by surprise.

“So, it seems you aren’t exactly a ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ either.”

Tan Nuannuan arched an eyebrow, a look of realization appearing on her delicate, innocent face.

“I never said I was. At least when it comes to love, I’ve never been one to play fair and square.”

Pei Junzhuo smiled slightly, a smile that sent a shiver through Tan Nuannuan.

“Tsk. You really are like a villain, aren’t you?”

Hearing Tan Nuannuan’s evaluation, Pei Junzhuo shook her head.

“Using a few methods for the sake of the person I love… I don’t see that as something to be ashamed of.”

As she spoke, Tan Nuannuan felt her previous impression of Pei Junzhuo shattering completely.

“Luo Xingran is afraid of you right now. Aren’t you sad?” Tan Nuannuan asked curiously; the woman didn’t seem particularly anxious.

“She’s afraid of me, yes, but she is still trying to walk toward me. That is enough.”

Pei Junzhuo’s words left Tan Nuannuan silent.

“Besides, taking this opportunity to show her another side of me isn’t a bad thing,” Pei Junzhuo continued. “That way, there’s a sense of freshness—it’s like an insurance policy, isn’t it?”

Pei Junzhuo turned back to Tan Nuannuan and asked quite naturally, “Do you want to try it too?”

“I’ll pass. I have an audition in a few days; I can’t afford any distractions,” Tan Nuannuan refused immediately.

She still wanted to stay in her comfort zone. At least for now, while her wings were not yet fully grown, she had to remain Shen Yao’s friend rather than her lover. Otherwise, she would never be able to grow to a point where she could protect Shen Yao.

After all, the Shen family wasn’t a charity—they weren’t the kind of family that would just give their daughter away out of the goodness of their hearts.

Support Running Away While Pregnant with the Villain’s Child