CHAPTER 179: CHAPTER 179: DO YOU STILL WANT ME?

Meeting Pei Nianchen again, Gu Jiayin felt as if it had been a lifetime, like he was an old friend she had known long ago but hadn’t contacted in ages.

On the first day he returned to Licheng City, he threatened her with his life, demanding she couldn’t break up with him. Yet after that separation that night, he hadn’t come to see her again, and she didn’t know what he’d been doing for more than a month.

Of course, Pei Nianchen didn’t know what she had been doing this month either, let alone her deep desire to reclaim Twilight Manor.

Standing in front of him, she seemed slightly awkward, contrasting sharply with his smiling and amiable expression.

Her love had already been through a sea change, while he was still stuck seven years ago.

"Brother Nianchen." Gu Jiayin walked up to Pei Nianchen, trying hard to muster a faint smile, but her hand unconsciously tightened around the strap of her bag.

The scene from that night when he attempted to drive off the cliff was etched deeply in her memory, leaving her heart still palpitating with fear.

When love comes to an end, the greatest fear is someone unwilling to let go, and worse, someone willing to burn with passion at the cost of their life.

Pei Nianchen, however, appeared very relaxed and lit up with a clear smile upon seeing her, as if brushing away the dust of the past, laughing as he held her hand, his voice gentle and clean, "I haven’t sought you out during this time. Are you mad at me?"

Gu Jiayin forced a tug at the corner of her lips, "What have you been doing during this time?"

"I went abroad for a bit." With that, Pei Nianchen had already opened the passenger seat door, "Get in the car; let me take you to breakfast first."

Gu Jiayin knew she had to break things off with Pei Nianchen by eight o’clock tonight, so she obediently got into the car with him.

It was still their favorite breakfast place from before.

Upon entering, Pei Nianchen deftly found their usual spot and ordered her old favorites, the fresh meat buns and oatmeal porridge.

Gu Jiayin remained mostly silent, appearing natural, yet she was always observing Pei Nianchen’s expression and mood, unsure of when and how to speak up.

He seemed to have returned to the state of a relationship from seven years ago, naturally doing what they used to love doing together, while she, all of a sudden, felt some reluctance to break his deeply ingrained habits.

However, breaking up was inevitable.

She had to reclaim Twilight Manor, and he, though he might be able to leave Qin Xueyao, could not ignore that child. After all, it was his own flesh and blood, and he needed to be a father.

Thinking of it, that child had already been nurtured in the womb for over seven months, and in just over two months, it would be born into this world.

Gu Jiayin distinctly felt that Pei Nianchen was troubled.

Although since meeting her, he had been gentle and kind, showing her much care, she could still glean from his deep eyes some subtle clues, owing to their many years of understanding.

"Brother Nianchen, what did you go abroad to do?" Gu Jiayin took a bite of the meat bun, asking in an almost casual tone.

Pei Nianchen’s gaze froze for an instant, his movement halting briefly before continuing to peel the shrimps, his thin lips pressed tight, evidently holding back restrained anger, "I went to investigate something."

"Oh."

Gu Jiayin nodded, asking no more. Although he had already resigned from his military post, there were likely still some secret affairs requiring his attention, and she didn’t feel it appropriate to question further.

However, after a few seconds of her silence, he spoke up on his own, "I went to investigate Qin Xueyao."

Gu Jiayin stopped her eating motions, unsure how to respond to his words, not knowing if Pei Nianchen went because he had learned of Qin Xueyao and Thompson’s sordid dealings, or because he couldn’t let go of that child, thus pursuing them to F Country.

Qin Xueyao hadn’t been in Licheng City for over a month now but had gone with Thompson to F Country for promotions on their film, which had just wrapped shooting. Even though she was just a supporting role, Thompson had still pushed her into the international media spotlight.

Pei Nianchen put down his chopsticks, coldness tainting the corners of his eyes and brows, with words carrying a prolonged chill, "You knew about Qin Xueyao and Thompson all along, didn’t you?"

Gu Jiayin remained silent. She indeed knew for a while but didn’t know how to bring it up because Qin Xueyao was pregnant with Pei Nianchen’s child, and the Pei Family had acknowledged her as the future Young Madam of the Pei Family. If this was exposed, would it also cause him humiliation?

Seeing her silence, Pei Nianchen’s anger burned more fiercely, and he suddenly grabbed her wrist, frowning as he questioned, "Why didn’t you tell me?"

Pei Nianchen was genuinely very angry.

It was because he heeded Gu Jiayin’s advice to distance himself from Qin Xueyao that he grew suspicious and secretly flew to F Country to follow Qin Xueyao.

He saw Qin Xueyao staying with Thompson, despite her bulging belly, shamelessly flirting with Thompson, and engaging in various unspeakable acts without regard to the setting.

At that moment, he felt utterly filthy and disgusted.

He had actually touched a woman who had long been entertaining under Thompson, the thought alone made him wish to kill Qin Xueyao immediately, returning to him his once pure body and the most sincere love he once had.

Qin Xueyao made him sick, but Gu Jiayin made him angry.

She had known about Qin Xueyao and Thompson but chose not to tell him. How indifferent was she to him?

Gu Jiayin turned to look at Pei Nianchen’s furious, bloodshot eyes, her demeanor calm, sighing softly, feeling deep empathy for him, "Brother Nianchen, how do you want me to say it? She is the mother of your child."

Pei Nianchen was momentarily speechless.

Indeed, although that woman was thoroughly filthy, she was still the mother of his child, no matter how unwilling he was to acknowledge it.

The thought of having a child with such a disgusting woman made the anger in his heart blaze as fiercely as a raging fire.

He forcefully closed his eyes, crossing his hands against his forehead without saying a word.

Gu Jiayin didn’t know how to comfort him, so she remained silent alongside him.

She understood this feeling, like someone particularly fond of cleanliness suddenly being maliciously painted all over with dirty paint and then told it could never be washed off.

How not to hate?

After a long time, Gu Jiayin tentatively tugged on Pei Nianchen’s sleeve, "Brother Nianchen..."

"Jiayin," Pei Nianchen did not open his eyes nor make any motion, speaking very calmly, "Is it because such a disgusting woman touched me, that you also find me dirty and want to break up with me?"

"Don’t say that, Brother Nianchen." Gu Jiayin sighed gently, the internal conflict swirling within her, "Before I told you I wanted to break up, I also didn’t know about Qin Xueyao and Thompson. I only found out over a month ago on Eagle Emperor’s cruise."

Hearing this answer, Pei Nianchen felt somewhat relieved, and he slowly opened his eyes, gazing unwaveringly at Gu Jiayin, "Then tell me, do you think I’m dirty?"

Gu Jiayin didn’t hesitate, "Of course not, it’s not your fault."

Pei Nianchen still fixed his eyes on her, each word clear as he asked, "Then do you still want me?"