Running Away While Pregnant with the Villain’s Child - Chapter 9

Before falling in love, Luo Xingran never imagined she would sneak out with a romantic partner in the middle of the night. This kind of thing was both childish and exhilarating.

“Shh.”

Pei Junzhuo pressed a slender, elegant finger gently against her lips, her entire being immersed in the night like an elemental spirit of the darkness. While the moonlight made her appear holy, it also lent her an indescribable allure.

Luo Xingran, who had been hesitating moments ago, steeled her heart, grabbed the rope, and jumped out of the second-story window.

“Whoa!”

Luo Xingran covered her mouth as she tumbled into Pei Junzhuo’s arms. The momentum caused the two of them to roll twice across the grass.

How exciting! Doing something so secretive for the first time made Luo Xingran’s eyes sparkle. Even though sneaking out wasn’t exactly “good behavior,” it felt incredibly thrilling. She had a nagging feeling that she had done something like this before.

The two stood up and brushed the grass clippings off their clothes.

“Where are we going to play?” Luo Xingran asked expectantly, her voice rising slightly with excitement.

“Trust me. Take my hand and come with me.”

Pei Junzhuo didn’t say exactly where they were going; she simply reached out her hand and waited for Luo Xingran to take it.

As she held Pei Junzhuo’s hand, Luo Xingran felt her heart settle into a deep sense of peace. Clearly, she hadn’t met Pei Junzhuo many times; clearly, she should be asking for their destination; clearly, she shouldn’t trust someone this implicitly…

And yet, every doubt and every question vanished into thin air the moment she grasped that hand.

It’s over, Luo Xingran. You’re turning into a ‘love-brain.’ What was even worse was that Luo Xingran actually quite enjoyed the feeling.

The wind rushing toward them on the road was soft and gentle; even the air felt fresh and lovely. Luo Xingran’s footsteps paused briefly, as if all of this felt far too familiar.

“What’s wrong? We’re going by car, so it’ll be quick,” Pei Junzhuo said, her eyes shimmering with a captivating light that caused Luo Xingran’s intended words to disappear instantly.

Only one thought remained in her mind: So what if I’m a love-brain? What’s wrong with that!

Fine. Luo Xingran had given up the struggle and ignored the warnings of her logic. She chose to drown in Pei Junzhuo’s breathtaking beauty.

Once inside the car, the temperature was warmer than the chilly night air outside. In the early hours of the morning, there was a heavy coolness in the atmosphere.

In the passenger seat, Pei Junzhuo had already prepared a small blanket. It was cream-colored and carried a faint scent of jasmine, making Luo Xingran feel safe. Even though the car had a heater, Pei Junzhuo had thoughtfully provided the blanket anyway. Luo Xingran thought the journey would feel long, but staying with Pei Junzhuo, she realized she had completely lost track of time.

They arrived at the coast. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but the moon had already “clocked out,” leaving the surroundings quite dark.

“Are you afraid?” Pei Junzhuo leaned close to Luo Xingran’s ear, her soft, delicate voice drifting in.

The breath and the faint sound made Luo Xingran shiver; her ear felt itchy. She didn’t even hear what Pei Junzhuo had said. When she turned her head, all she could see were Pei Junzhuo’s lips—pale, with a clear outline, and corners slightly upturned in a mysterious, tempting curve.

Luo Xingran struggled to clear the chaotic thoughts from her mind.

“Ahem, what did you just say?” she cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment.

Having grown up with her, how could Pei Junzhuo not know what those little gestures meant? It was obvious her mind was wandering.

“I asked if you’re afraid because it’s so dark.” Pei Junzhuo caught Luo Xingran’s hand as she tried to pull it back, wrapping her own two hands around that single, delicate white hand.

For five years, a lonely ghost had occupied Xingran’s shell. During those five years, Pei Junzhuo’s only consolation was that the intruder hadn’t damaged the body that belonged to Xingran.

“Afraid of the dark? I was indeed afraid when I was little. But then I grew up. There are always darknesses one must face,” Luo Xingran said, shaking her head gently.

She spoke casually, but in reality, her lack of fear was something forced upon her in the orphanage. An orphanage is like a miniature society; if you have even a tiny weakness, it will be magnified infinitely.

No matter how carefully Luo Xingran tried to hide her fear of the dark, it was eventually discovered. The consequence was being locked in a cabinet for an entire night. No matter how she cried or begged, no one opened that door.

The pitch-black, cramped space and the cold metal were enough to make her break down. She remembered vividly that she had cried herself to sleep that night. Miraculously, from that day on, she was never afraid of the dark again.

Of course, she couldn’t tell Pei Junzhuo these things. After all, how could a daughter of the Luo family have been locked in a cabinet as a child?

“It’s okay to be afraid,” Pei Junzhuo said, looking at her earnestly. The words caught Luo Xingran off guard.

“It’s… okay to be afraid?” Luo Xingran repeated blankly.

“Yes. You can be afraid when you’re by my side. You can be fearful, you can be willful, and you can have weaknesses. Because I will do everything in my power to protect you. So, don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Pei Junzhuo looked at her with absolute sincerity, her long black hair falling around her like a shroud, carrying that peculiar fragrance.

Hearing this, Luo Xingran really wanted to nod. She wanted to collapse into Pei Junzhuo’s arms and let her guard down just once. But just as she was about to hug her, she pulled her hand back.

Seeing the retracted hand, a look of regret flashed in Pei Junzhuo’s eyes.

“It’s fine, I’m very strong now. One can’t always rely on others,” Luo Xingran said, her tone deliberately exaggerated as if trying to make Pei Junzhuo laugh.

“Yes, Xingran is right. One shouldn’t always rely on others; one must conquer their own fears.”

But I hope that when you are with me, you don’t have to force yourself to be strong.

Pei Junzhuo knew she couldn’t say those words yet. This “Silly Star” only liked her for her face right now. If she pushed too hard, this little dummy would probably grab a skateboard and flee into the night.

“Sleep for a while. I’ll wake you when the sun comes up.” Pei Junzhuo reclined the seat for her.

At first, Luo Xingran insisted she wouldn’t sleep. But a moment later, her eyes drifted shut.

“Sleepyhead. After all these years, you haven’t changed a bit.” Pei Junzhuo watched her with an almost obsessive longing.

“As they say, ‘Mountains and rivers may change, but a little pig never does.'” Pei Junzhuo looked at Luo Xingran’s sleeping face and smiled with overwhelming doting.

Pei Junzhuo took out her phone and sent their current location to the group chat shared by both families.

The Pei and Luo families had lived close to each other since childhood. It could be said that Luo Xingran and Pei Junzhuo were childhood sweethearts. Later, when Luo Xingran was five years old, she had accidentally prevented an accident that would have killed Pei Junzhuo’s parents. For the ten years following that event, Luo Xingran was constantly ill and never in good health.

Just when she finally began to recover and enjoyed a few years of happiness and health, the soul inside her body was replaced.

Where are you taking my daughter! Papa Luo felt his scalp tingle as he read the message in the WeChat group.

The butler had already notified him the moment the two “little rascals” left. If Mama Luo hadn’t held him back, Papa Luo would have detained them within minutes.

Xingran has always wanted to watch the sunrise over the sea. I wanted to help her fulfill that wish. Pei Junzhuo had long anticipated this interrogation from Papa Luo.

Back in high school, when she was younger and less sensible, she loved taking Xingran everywhere. They had fulfilled many wishes, but this particular one never had its chance. In truth, the parents wouldn’t have opposed the places they went; it was just that back then, both girls were in their rebellious phase and disliked communicating with their parents.

Does she need you to fulfill her wishes? Her mother and I can take her too! Papa Luo’s voice (in text) sounded fuming.

Since his daughter had only recently returned, Papa Luo was actually somewhat resistant to her hanging out with Pei Junzhuo. The two families were indeed old friends, but his daughter’s past misfortunes always seemed to have some inexplicable connection to the Pei family. Time and time again, Papa Luo had grown afraid. No matter how deep the friendship between the families, it wasn’t as important as his precious daughter.

Bring her back safely. Otherwise, Pei Junzhuo, don’t even think about stepping foot in the Luo house again. Mama Luo was calmer, though the threat in her words was three times more terrifying than her husband’s.

Pei Junzhuo’s parents also saw the conversation in the small group chat. Did they dare to speak up? Heh, not at all.

To put it bluntly, they had watched Xingran grow up. She had saved their lives and then suffered ten years of illness as a result. The karmic debt involved was too complex to untangle. That fact alone was enough to make them feel profoundly guilty.

As for later events, they could basically conclude that their daughter was in love with the girl. Honestly, the Pei couple was quite worried—not because their daughter liked women, but because of her isolated personality. If things didn’t work out with the Luo girl, their daughter might remain single for the rest of her life.

Father Pei typed and deleted, deleted and typed. He thought for a long time but couldn’t strike a single key.

“Useless,” Mother Pei rolled her eyes elegantly. She pulled out her phone and tapped away rapidly, sending a private message to Pei Junzhuo.

Daughter, take good care of the Luo girl. It’s late; don’t let her catch a cold. Some things are meant to be yours, and they will be. What goes around comes around, but people are different. Sometimes, you must respect the one you love. If you cannot force her to stay, you must let her be happy.

Father Pei glanced at the message and gave his wife a thumbs-up. Then, he quickly posted a message in the group chat, reprimanding his “rebellious” daughter.

Taking your younger sister out in the middle of the night! If that girl catches a cold, Pei Junzhuo, don’t bother coming home—go straight to the ancestral hall and kneel!

One must admit, this wording made the Luo parents hesitate. They had known Father Pei for years; he was a stubborn, rigid man who might actually make her kneel. However, seeing the sea was their own daughter’s wish.

Tsk, Papa Luo felt a bit conflicted. He had actually seen Pei Junzhuo being punished with kneeling before. During the years his daughter was “missing” (replaced), Pei Junzhuo would basically go to the hall and kneel for hours every day. If he and his wife hadn’t stepped in to stop it, her legs would have been ruined.

Stop that. What kind of good parent uses corporal punishment? Papa Luo couldn’t help but retort to Father Pei.

Brother, I am truly sorry. For our joint project, I’ll give you an extra three percent of the shares. Consider those three percent as an apology for this wretched daughter of mine.

Having received the response he wanted, Father Pei happily sent the message he had prepared long ago, just waiting for Papa Luo to agree.

“If anyone saw that look on your face, they’d give you a smack,” Mother Pei said, looking at her husband with utter speechlessness. In public, he acted like an old-fashioned traditionalist, but in reality, he was nothing of the sort.

“You don’t understand. I’m trying to build a better impression for our Junzhuo with her father-in-law. Right now, if she goes to the Luo house, I bet even their dog would spit at her. Even though she deserves it, I’m still her father; I have to help out.” Father Pei smiled deviously, stroking his short beard.

“I hope those three percent make them a little happier,” Mother Pei said, a smile finally touching her face as she saw Papa Luo’s reply.

Hmph, I wouldn’t dream of taking advantage of you. Someone will contact you regarding the cost-reduction phase of the project.

Even though the Luo family sounded fierce, they were the type to be “hard on the outside, soft on the inside.” Unfortunately, the Pei family—from top to bottom—were people who appeared warm but were “black-hearted” (scheming) on the inside.

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