CH 78

Zhou Jianguo originally wanted to go to Zhao Pianpian’s room with Luo Bei, but after thinking about it, he realized that the man had already left. It wouldn’t be good for him to be there. Besides, Zhao Pianpian and Luo Bei must have had some conversations as close friends, and although he was curious to gossip, he knew it wasn’t the best time. He said, “Grandma Luo probably doesn’t know you’re back, and we haven’t had lunch yet. I’ll go back to my room and make some pasta. You can come down and eat later.”

He didn’t like to eat outside, and he wouldn’t order takeout unless he had to.

Luo Bei didn’t refuse either. She had known Zhou Jianguo for so long, and knew his cooking skills. Sometimes they were so busy that Zhou Jianguo or she would use an electric cooker in the shop to make rice or noodles to eat.

His cooking skills were not great, but not bad either. At least it was edible, which was good enough.

So Zhou Jianguo went downstairs to the basement and Luo Bei went upstairs to find Zhao Pianpian.

Contrary to Luo Bei’s imagination, Zhao Pianpian was not at a loss, nor was she dazed. She was sitting on the sofa flipping through a baby food recipe book, worrying about what food to make for her son, baby Chen, tomorrow.

Luo Bei walked in and baby Chen was sitting on a crawling mat playing with toys. This mother and son were not affected at all by Lei Yuhao’s arrival

This surprised Luo Bei a bit.

Zhao Pianpian handed a yogurt to Luo Bei and chuckled as she opened the fridge. “Xiao Jingzhou is just like your little spy. I knew he would call you.”

Luo Bei took the yogurt and hesitated before asking, “Is that gentleman earlier, the biological father of baby Chen?”

Having known each other for so long, Zhao Pianpian had already shared every little detail of what had happened to her with Luo Bei. However, she had not told her that the man who came earlier was Lei Yuhao, the CEO of Lei Group.

Zhao Pianpian knew that she couldn’t keep it a secret anymore, since Lei Yuhao had already come knocking on their door. “Yes, his surname is Lei.”

“Is it the same Lei Yuhao from Lei Group? I have a vague impression of him.”

Zhao Pianpian was surprised, “Yes.”

She didn’t expect Luo Bei to still remember a news story from over a year ago. But then again, Lei Yuhao had made headlines in the entertainment industry for years and had been linked to several female celebrities, even though they were all rumors.

“Before, when I went to buy a cake for you, I ran into him. And there was another time, remember when I wore your old dress to host the company’s annual meeting? He mistook me for someone at the time. Now that I think about it, he probably still thought I was you.”

Zhao Pianpian was also surprised by such coincidences, but soon she came back to her senses and said, “Now that he has found me, my life probably won’t be as peaceful as before.”

Although Luo Bei knew the plot, she didn’t know what to say at the moment.

Zhao Pianpian smiled at her and looked at the carefree baby Chen playing with his toys, “Beibei, do you know? When I first found out about the baby’s existence, I wanted to get rid of him. When I was very young, I lost my father. I know better than anyone the pain of growing up without a father. I don’t want my child to be like me. Moreover, his father will not marry me, and he will become an illegitimate child. But no matter how rational I tried to be, when I heard the baby’s heartbeat at the hospital, I hesitated. The baby’s heartbeat sounded like a little train…”

Although Luo Bei had not become a mother yet, she could probably understand the feeling.

“I really don’t want to give him up, so I was selfish once. Sometimes I regret it.” Zhao Pianpian smiled bitterly, “I didn’t expect him to find me. Beibei, it’s not that I underestimate myself, but I know that for someone like me who chose to give birth to a child and raise him alone, it’s a very irresponsible thing. If my mother were still alive, she would be very sad and distressed, because I had a child with a man who wouldn’t love me and wouldn’t marry me. And that man will get engaged to someone else in the future and have other children. What does my child mean then?”

Luo Bei comforted her, “It’s not like that. Didn’t he break off the engagement with the other woman?”

Zhao Pianpian shook her head, “He will get engaged to someone else in the future.”

“But you said he has been looking for you, he must have feelings for you, and now you both have a child…”

“Beibei, you don’t understand,” Zhao Pianpian looked at her gently, “I’ve been by his side for several years and I have some understanding of the upper-class society and wealthy families. Their class is rigidly stratified, and they place even greater emphasis on the importance of matching family backgrounds than ordinary people. Even if he is willing to marry me now, his family would be willing to accept me for the sake of their child, but do you think everything will be alright once we get married? No, in their hearts, you will never be considered an equal person. Even when he has other women in the future, everyone will think it’s normal because he has already lowered his status to marry me and make me Mrs. Lei. I should be grateful and indebted to him.

“Beibei, I don’t want to take any more risks, really. Maybe others will think I’m selfish, but even though baby Chen will have a father and family and is no longer an illegitimate child, but…” Zhao Pianpian choked up for a moment. “I really can’t take it anymore. After leaving him for two years, I have learned to control my emotions. Even if he gets married again tomorrow, I won’t feel too sad because I have learned to accept it.”

Luo Bei understood what she meant. Now, Zhao Pianpian no longer had any hope for Lei Yuhao. Whether he was married or single, she could accept it. But once she had hope for him again, it would be like placing all the joys and sorrows of the rest of her life on this man.

Zhao Pianpian was afraid. After going through so much, she was no longer reckless. She became hesitant and afraid of being hurt.

Luo Bei couldn’t advise Zhao Pianpian from her own perspective. In the relationship between Zhao Pianpian and Lei Yuhao, others were just bystanders. She didn’t intervene before and still wouldn’t now.

She hugged Zhao Pianpian and said in a warm voice, “Whatever decision you make, I will support you. Even if things get worse, it won’t be worse than before. You’ve gotten through those days, and things will only get better from here.”

Zhao Pianpian hugged Luo Bei back and said, “Beibei, thank you.”

Luo Bei spent the afternoon chatting with Zhao Pianpian. Zhao Pianpian told Luo Bei everything in great detail about her past experiences, as she had been holding it in for too long and needed a faithful listener.

Over the past few years, she was the only one who thought it was love. She had almost exhausted all her passion, like a patient who had undergone major surgery and could no longer withstand any more suffering.

She no longer had hope for love and just wanted to raise her child well.

Luo Bei had never experienced that kind of love. In her view of relationships, if someone didn’t like her, she wouldn’t force herself to stay with that person. Maybe she was more indifferent in this respect. She only wanted to have a warm and sweet romance, not a torturous and intense one, which would be too exhausting.

Of course, she wasn’t the kind of person who would burden someone else with all her joys and sorrows. Shouldn’t one live for oneself in this life? Of course, she would do whatever made her happy. If someone made her unhappy, she would just move on. However, she had never liked someone as much as Zhao Pianpian liked Lei Yuhao, so she couldn’t offer any reference or advice.

When Luo Bei came out of Zhao Pianpian’s room, it was almost dusk. In winter, the days get dark early.

As she was going upstairs, she ran into Jiang Hui.

After the unconventional job interview during the day, Luo Bei couldn’t be bothered with Jiang Hui anymore. This weirdo lived in her rental building, just the thought of it made her depressed.

Without waiting for Luo Bei to speak, Jiang Hui made a sullen face and said, “I want to terminate the lease, I don’t want the deposit, and I will move out tomorrow.”

Well, that’s great.

Luo Bei felt the air was a bit fresher without having to deal with such a lunatic.

However, Jiang Hui’s change was too fast. Just today, she wanted to apply for an online store customer service job and stubbornly claimed to be Zhou Jianguo’s fiancee, as if she wouldn’t give up until she got him. It had only been a short while since then, and now she had taken the initiative to move out. Did something happen that Luo Bei didn’t know about?

“Okay.” Luo Bei was eager for her to move out as soon as possible, the sooner the better.

In fact, Jiang Hui was very angry when she saw Luo Bei. She had a deep aversion to this character, and had disliked her since Luo Bei was just a paper character. After coming to the novel world and getting to know Luo Bei, her disgust had only increased.

It was just the author who gave Luo Bei a big cheat. Did she have any shining points personally? Did she have any convincing advantages?

Everyone likes her, and everyone helps her.

Jiang Hui thought about moving out soon and couldn’t help but sneer, “Don’t think you’re so powerful. To put it plainly, you’re just lucky. He would have liked anyone he met during his amnesia, let alone you. Who do you think you are, a Bai Fumei? With just a few small shops and a car beauty shop?”

At this point, she was already getting a headache, but Jiang Hui gritted her teeth and persisted, “Do you really think you deserve him? Even if you work hard for a lifetime, in the eyes of others, you’re just a small character climbing the ranks of the powerful and wealthy. To put it bluntly, you’re just lucky.”

Jiang Hui couldn’t continue speaking. She had a splitting headache, but she didn’t want to show weakness in front of Luo Bei.

Luo Bei walked step by step towards Jiang Hui, stopped in front of her, and smiled. “That’s a pity. You don’t even have luck.”

Jiang Hui was angry. “You!”

“What about me?” Luo Bei smiled slightly. “Sorry, I want to remind you, do you know that your jealous look right now makes me especially happy? Keep talking, I’m listening.”

What Zhou Jianguo said was right.

Jealousy from others makes one feel refreshed!

Being envied…this feeling is just too wonderful!