Chapter 230: A lost friendship gained once again
Chapter 230: A lost friendship gained once again
Nana got alarmed. Her hand immediately went to touch her belly. She shuddered with the thought that she might have fallen.
Jianyu asked worriedly, “Nana! Are you okay?” He angrily looked behind to deal with the man who pushed Nana, but he was already lost in the crowd.
He gritted his teeth. “That stupid man! Can’t he see where he was going?”
Jianyu saw her clutching her stomach and asked questioningly, “What happened? Is your stomach hurting?”
Nana said, “It isn’t hurting. I was worried about my baby.”
“Huh?” Jianyu looked dumbfounded. He blinked his eyes. “What?”
“I’m pregnant.”
“R-really?”
Nana slowly nodded.
His eyes were staring unblinkingly at her. “Bro’s…” It wasn’t a question that needed to be answered.
“Yes. I’m…married to Jinhai now.”
Jianyu widened his eyes in shock. After he left banquet night, he had completely cut off his connections with the outside world. He wanted to stay alone and out of the radar. He shut himself off. So, he also wasn’t aware of the press conference that Jinhai gave.
“What about Huian?”
In short, Nana explained everything to him. Jianyu felt like he was getting one shock after the other. These two months had changed everything for Nana and his cousin too.
Both of their lives had taken such a big turn. They were at a point where both had got into new relationships.
But he was disappointed with Huian. He already knew her truth on the banquet night, but here she was still trying to force this marriage on Jinhai, even at the cost of her life, not caring about Xiang Wei and Xiang Qingge.
“How is her condition now?”
Nana sighed. “She is still in the vegetative state. Doctors and uncle Zhou Bingwen are trying their best.”
Jianyu slowly nodded.
He looked at her, and his eyes were filled with complicated emotions. “Are you happy?”
Nana softly said, “Yes.” The joy in her eyes was unmistakable.
Jianyu felt happy for her, really so glad. It felt like a huge burden was lifted off his chest. Even when he started his relationship with Serena, he always felt guilty like he was leaving her alone and moving forward on his own.
But now she also had a special someone in her life. And he couldn’t be thankful enough.
“I’m glad. You cannot imagine how delighted I’m to know this.” He was relieved. He hesitated and said, “I know you might not treat me as a friend anymore, but I do. I always will. And as a friend, I’m really, really happy for you.”
Nana looked at him and said nothing.
Jianyu realized. “You take a seat. Should I bring you some water?”
Nana shook her head. “No, no. I’m fine.” Suddenly from the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar silhouette standing at a distance.
She slightly stiffened.
Is that…Jinhai? What is he doing here? Shouldn’t he be in Liu Corps?
She didn’t know why, but she was feeling guilty about being here.
Jianyu gently patted her shoulders. “Nana?”
“Huh?”
“Is everything alright?”
“Ah…yes.” Nana stood up. “I should leave now.”
Jianyu nodded. He, too, didn’t want Serena and Nana to run into each other. At least not before he admits everything to Serena.
Nana faintly smiled and turned to leave.
“Can we be friends like before?” Jianyu’s voice suddenly came out.
Nana stopped in her steps.
As soon as those words came out, Jianyu wished to bite his tongue off.
Stupid! Stupid me!
In an imaginary space, he was banging his head on the wall. He didn’t realize that he was thinking out loud.
Nana’s friendship was very precious to him. Sometimes, he missed those days that they spent together. So, he couldn’t help but think how nice it would be if they started over again.
Jianyu quickly tried to salvage the situation. “S-sorry, I-I didn’t mean that. No! I mean, I mean it, but I don’t.”
What is happening to me!? I’m spouting nonsense!
“Just forget about it –”
“Okay.”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to-” Jianyu stopped. “What? What did you say?”
Nana smiled. “I said okay, we can be friends again.”
She understood how genuinely sorry he was for his mistakes. Jianyu and Jinhai were cousins. He was not a villain with whom she had to cut off all her relations. He never wanted anything wrong happen to her, nor was he intentional in hurting her. They were now family. So, there was no point in lengthening their differences.
Jianyu had a hard time believing Nana’s words.
“Really?” He was still in disbelief.
“Yes.”
Jianyu raised his hand and pinched himself hard. “Ow!”
Nana giggled. She looked at him silently for a few seconds and held out her hand.
“Hi. I’m Liu Nana, Liu Jinhai’s wife, and also your cousin-in-law. Can we be friends?”
Jianyu absent-mindedly held out his hand too. Then a big smile lit on his face. His eyes turned a little misty. “Nice to meet you, cousin-in-law. I’m Chen Jianyu.”
They shook their hands and then laughed out.
She smiled. “Let’s forget the past and look forward, okay?”
Jianyu’s voice croaked. “Thank you…”
Jianyu seemed to think about something as he went silent. He looked at her and said, “There is one thing that you need to know.”
Nana asked, “What?”
“It will surely come as a shock to you, but I’m…dating Serena.”
Nana blinked her eyes. Her mind was unable to process what he said.
“Who?”
“Serena, your best friend, Serena. Yes, the one and only Serena, you know.”
She looked at him, dumbfounded. The expressions on her face were changing from confusion to questions to shock and disbelief. She was finding it hard to find her voice. But when it came out, it did as a shriek.
“What!?” She loudly said. The people roaming around shot her an annoyed stare.
“This is a public place.” One murmured.
“Can’t they find some other place to talk?”
“Is it a breakup?”
Nana awkwardly smiled. “S-sorry…”
Jianyu shook his head. He had expected this reaction.
Now that he had regained Nana’s friendship back, he didn’t want any secrets between them. He had already paid a heavy price doing that before. He didn’t want to disappoint her once again. So, he decided to tell everything to Nana about his relationship with Serena.
Nana looked at him inquisitively. She had no idea that Serena and Jianyu knew each other.
Wait.
‘!!!’
So the boyfriend Serena was talking about was Jianyu!?
So…
‘!!!’
Serena is pregnant with Jianyu’s child!?
Nana wanted some time to digest everything. Her best friend and her friend, aka ex-fiance, were now in a relationship.
“This world is a really small place!” She couldn’t help but exclaim.
“No kidding.” Jianyu smiled helplessly. “You can say that again.”
She tremblingly pointed her finger at him. “You and Serena…Serena and you…Oh, God!!!”
A bright smile lit on her face as she wished to jump around in excitement.
Jianyu said, “Calm down. Don’t let me remind you that you are pregnant.”
But Nana was on top of the moon. “Ahh!!! How can I calm down? My two dear friends are together. How can I not be excited!?”
Jianyu felt like nothing changed between them. Things went back to normal. They were already talking just like before, as very good friends. It’s as if the banquet night seemed to be just a dream.
“Thank you…” He said softly.
But then the light in his eyes started to fade away. “Serena still doesn’t know about us.”
Nana looked at him, surprised. “She doesn’t know you are Chen Jianyu?”
But now it made sense to her. Otherwise, Serena would have definitely mentioned it to her that she is dating Jianyu, whom she was engaged to.
“En. She is still in the dark. Even I came to know about your friendship just a few days ago. And I…”
Nana understood his dilemma. Serena might get angry with him for hurting her.
She patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. I will talk to her.”
“No, you don’t have to.” He was thankful that Nana wanted to help him. “I have committed the mistakes. And I will do anything to get her back.”
Nana nodded.
“En. Don’t give up. She looks rough and tough, but her heart is a softy. She won’t be able to stay angry with you for long. But! Get ready to bear her punches, okay?” She laughed. “She will surely forgive you, but she won’t let you go unharmed. She will beat you up black and blue.”
Jianyu chuckled. “I know. I have seen her temper, and I’m ready for it. She can hit and punch and beat me as much as she wants. I deserve it. I will gladly take all the beating. As long she doesn’t leave me…”
“She won’t.” Nana reassured.
Jianyu felt a lot lighter after talking to Nana. “Oh, and congratulations, for getting married and for the little champ too who will be joining us.”
Nana gave a wide grin. “Thank you, and congratulations to you too. After all, you are also going to be a father. Our children will grow up together!”
He smiled sheepishly.
Nana’s phone buzzed, and she saw the same number. She stiffened a bit.
“I-I should leave now. There is a lot of work in Natsukashi.”
Jianyu nodded. Serena must also be coming back anytime.
“Alright.”
They parted ways, and as she walked a little further away, Nana got a message.
“How sweet to rekindle your friendship with your ex-fiance. But are you sure that your husband would understand the same?”