427 Running Away from Home

"Do you know what I hate most about you?" Xia Ling glared at him, overwhelmed with anger. "I hate your presumptuous face and the fact that you want to control everything about me! What I eat, what I wear! Pei Ziheng, I'm a human being, not your puppet! I'm not someone that you can command to do whatever you want!"

"You're on my territory and within my protection. You have to listen to what I say." He responded.

"Stop dreaming! You think I want to be on your territory?!" Xia Ling got even angrier and turned to walk toward the living room door. "The world is so large… I'm not limited to staying in this Pei family house!"

The huge van that sent her home was still parked at the door.

Xia Ling got onto the van and bristled at the driver. "Drive!"

The driver did not know what had happened and meekly asked, "Miss Ye, where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere!" She said. "Just drive!"

In the living room.

Chu Chen witnessed the entire fight panning out since he had followed Xia Ling back to the house. He asked Pei Ziheng worriedly, "Boss, shall I go and bring Miss Ye home?"

Pei Ziheng shook his head as he watched the huge van leave the premises through the open door.

How could Chu Chen bring her back? There was no other way than to use force, and that would only make Xiao Ling angrier. She did not have a scheming personality, and would not contemplate too complicated matters, but had a fiery temper. Rather than drag her back here to listen to an explanation that she would not listen to, it was better to let her go and cool down.

Her pregnancy meant that she could not be agitated too much.

"Get some people to follow her and protect her." Pei Ziheng said. "If there are any issues, report to me immediately."

Chu Chen nodded before asking, "Do you want me to find some people to speak to her?"

Find who? Pei Ziheng's gaze darkened. In this life, everyone that she was close to did not like him, and everyone that he trusted did not gain her trust. Between them, they had no common friends. Pei Ziheng realized now that connections between them were pathetic, to say the least.

"Ask Feng Kun to talk to her." He said after contemplating for a while.

Even though Feng Kun was not his closest confidante, but Pei Ziheng trusted his character. He would take care of Xiao Ling. Pei Ziheng pressed down his unhappiness towards Feng Kun and commanded Chu Chen to do as he said.

Chu Chen made a call before informing Pei Ziheng. "Feng Kun is aware of the situation. He's assured that he will take good care of Miss Ye."

Pei Ziheng felt a little more at ease.

Chu Chen continued, "I've also received news that Li Lei has pulled back on every line of attack. He's now focused on rebuilding the damages. It looks like he's intending to call a truce."

Pei Ziheng's gaze hardened again. He knew that this was Xiao Ling's doing — her pregnancy made Li Lei lose hope and back down.

This did not make Pei Ziheng happy at all.

Instead, he was frustrated. He felt as if his ability could not match that of a woman, and a problem that he had wrestled with for such a long time was resolved so easily by a mere woman. Yet, he almost felt a rush of elation. So what if Xiao Ling loved Li Lei? She was pregnant with his child, and they were a destined couple. The child was a dead knot that would bind them together.

"Let's pull back as well." Pei Ziheng instructed Chu Chen.

Regardless, he had won.

Xia Ling sat in the back seat of the huge van feeling horrible. The driver drove several rounds around the neighborhood before cautiously asking, "Miss Ye, where exactly are we going?"

Xia Ling could not think of anywhere to go as well. As she lifted her head and saw the logo of a hotel ahead, she pointed at it and said, "Just go there."

"Yanyun Hotel?" The driver glanced over at the logo. They were still close to Pei Ziheng's bungalow, and this was a rich neighborhood; hence, the hotel was a high-classed one. Yanyun Hotel was one of the best five-starred hotels in the city. The driver obediently drove her to the hotel.

"Miss Ye, do you want to stay the night?" He asked considerately. "Shall I help you with the check-in procedures?"

"Okay." She wanted to find a place with some peace and quiet, away from Pei Ziheng. If she continued to be on his territory and be suffocated under his protection and control, she would lose her mind.

The driver completed the check-in procedures efficiently.

She put on her sunglasses, turned her shirt collar up, and lowered her head as she walked quickly to the room.

The room was the luxurious presidential suite, which had huge full-length windows on the 19th floor. From the room, she had a great night view of the neighboring city. Settling into the room, she thanked the driver and closed the room door before letting out a long sigh.

The stress she felt these days had put her in a horrendous mood. Now that she had relaxed, she felt her abdomen start to hurt again.

She was afraid for the child and hurriedly lay down on the bed, falling asleep after a while. Suddenly, she heard the doorbell ring. She opened her eyes and asked, "Who is it?"

"Feng Kun." A warm, gentle voice rang out from behind the door.

Feng Kun? Why was he here? Xia Ling was surprised, but she got up and opened the door to let him in.

Feng Kun was carrying many bags. There was a nutritious congee, as well as a special pillow for pregnant women and some daily necessities. "Bee in your bonnet again?" He asked gently like an elder brother. "Running away from home at your age? You're almost going to be a mum." He had been dealing with some company matters, but had dropped everything and rushed over after receiving Chu Chen's call.

Xia Ling started to get angry again, being reminded of what had transpired by Feng Kun's questions. "There's nowhere that I call home."

Feng Kun shook his head with a smile and opened the lunchbox that he had brought along. "I was concerned that the food in the hotel would not be to your preferences, so I brought you some congee from a place near the office." In her past life, she had loved the food from this restaurant.

Xia Ling looked at the well-boiled glutinous rice porridge in the container, and the fragrance of the food made her forget her anger. She sat down and started to eat, the warmth of the food spreading through her belly to her limbs, helping her to relax.

Feng Kun spoke again. "Just stay the night and then go back home. Nanny Zhou has two sons and has taken care of many grandchildren. She has good experience dealing with pregnant women like you. You have to think for the child." He did not talk about Pei Ziheng, fearing that it would cause Xia Ling's rebellious nature to work against him.

Xia Ling quietly listened to him, before saying a reluctant "Okay."

Feng Kun heaved a sigh of relief. He accompanied her for a while before wishing her a good night's rest and assuring her that he would come to pick her up in the morning. It was only then that he took his leave.

He went down the elevator and out of the main lobby before he realized that someone was following him.

It was Xia Yu.

This afternoon, Xia Yu had appeared at his recording studio to record a song. All of a sudden, there was chaos in the company, and everyone was discussing Ye Xingling carrying Pei Ziheng's child.

What?

Ye Xingling was carrying Pei Ziheng's child?!

This news was like lightning had struck her, and Xia Yu took very long to recover her senses. That's why… that's why Ye Xingling was able to stay in Brother Ziheng's house! That's why Brother Ziheng was being so protective of Ye Xingling that night that she went to look for him to celebrate her birthday! All this was because of that spawn in her belly!