Grandmother? The antagonist's family member! Ji Nian was taken aback by the revelation. As the novel explained, the protagonist's paranoid personality was shaped by his troubled family background.
With divorced parents, an uncaring mother, a father who neglected him and elevated his mistress, on the surface, their relationships seemed amicable. However, the antagonist was frequently subjected to psychological abuse by his stepmother during his childhood.
This abuse didn't involve physical violence but rather cunningly crafted words meant to emotionally manipulate him. In simple terms, it was a form of psychological manipulation, an attempt to control his mind through verbal means.
During his childhood, he was oblivious to it and had a somewhat decent relationship with his stepmother. He was consistently brainwashed and blamed his father for their conflicts.
This led to a frosty relationship with his grandfather, and as he grew older, he gradually sensed that something was amiss, eventually discovering his stepmother's manipulative nature.
The only ones in the Pei family who genuinely cared for him were his grandparents, particularly his grandmother. They never acknowledged the child of the mistress, making them the only solace for the antagonist.
"Grandmother, why are you here?" Pei Yuchen looked at the elderly woman with tenderness in his eyes.
"If I hadn't come, would you have no intention of visiting your grandmother?" The old woman became angry, then examined the man and couldn't help but tear up as she asked, "How have you been outside?"
"I'm doing fine," Pei Yuchen replied with a smile.
Meanwhile, Ji Nian felt awkward standing to the side, being ignored. Should she leave directly or greet them?
Forget it, she decided to leave quietly, pretending to pass by. But before she could, the old woman noticed her and exclaimed, "Chen Chen, who is this young lady?"
Ji Nian's body stiffened as she met the gaze of the elderly woman. She forced a dry smile and said, "Um... we... we are..."
What were they? Neighbors? Not really close. Friends? No, that wouldn't fit...
"A friend of a friend of a friend!" Ji Nian quickly came up with an answer.
Pei Yuchen burst into laughter, finding this woman quite amusing. His lips curled up as he said, "A friend of A Zhan's girlfriend."
"A Zhan has a girlfriend?" The old woman was shocked, then incredulously asked, "How come I didn't know?"
"He probably hasn't told his family yet. Grandma, please keep it a secret," Pei Yuchen said with a smile.
"That's great news! I'll hurry back and share it with your grandmother," the old woman said excitedly.
Ji Nian blinked, completely stunned. Did she unknowingly play a trick on the male lead?
"How did you end up with this lady so early in the morning?" The old woman looked at Ji Nian, scrutinizing her from head to toe.
"Granny, don't misunderstand. I coincidentally bumped into Dr. Pei while out for a morning jog," Ji Nian quickly clarified their relationship, shaking her head and saying, "We're not acquainted!"
The old woman paused for a moment after this explanation. Somehow, she felt like this woman was rather disdainful of her grandson.
"I see." The old woman nodded and didn't inquire further. She turned to the man and said, "Chen Chen, I have breakfast prepared. Go back and eat."
Pei Yuchen nodded, then turned to Ji Nian and asked, "Miss Ji, have you had breakfast yet? Would you like to join us?"
Ji Nian was taken aback by his unexpected invitation. She hastily waved her hand and declined, saying, "No, thank you!"
Seeing her firm refusal and recalling her reaction when she first met A Zhan, he couldn't help but find it amusing. A trace of depth flickered in his eyes.
Mrs. Pei couldn't help but feel puzzled when she saw her grandson suddenly getting close to a woman.
"Miss Ji, since Chenchen invited you, why don't we have breakfast together?" Mrs. Pei suggested.
"Um..." Ji Nian looked confused and thought it would be better not to get too close to the antagonist. She awkwardly smiled and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Pei, but I've been trying to lose weight recently, so I'm not eating."
Pei Yuchen raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "Skipping breakfast is not good, and breakfast consists of simple foods that won't make you gain weight."
Heaven above! Ji Nian's smile froze. She felt that the antagonist was definitely doing this on purpose! She could see the mockery in his eyes. But what could she do...
"Since Dr. Pei says so, then... okay," Ji Nian forced out an unattractive smile, almost like a cry.
Pei Yuchen nodded, signaling the woman to walk with him. He carefully supported the old lady, with a slight upward curl of his lips.
It was not a good start for Ji Nian to encounter such a situation early in the morning. It was bad enough to meet the antagonist, but now she was even preparing to enter his house...
As she walked into the villa, Ji Nian glanced around and noticed that the decoration was completely different from the male lead's house. The male lead's house had a more luxurious touch.
In contrast, the antagonist's house had a predominantly European style, more minimalist, with black, white, and gray colors. It made her feel that the whole house was cold and devoid of any vitality.
Ji Nian awkwardly sat at the dining table and looked at various snacks. She couldn't help but salivate. This... looks quite sumptuous...
But as a professional actress, she had to control her diet. Seeing everyone start to eat, she reluctantly held a boiled egg in her hand. Sigh...
"Miss Ji, is this all you're going to eat?" Mrs. Pei's eyes were probing. Could it be that this person is interested in the Pei family's background and deliberately approached them?
"This is enough..." Ji Nian replied awkwardly. Although she loved to eat, being in the antagonist's house made her feel extremely uncomfortable. She just wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"Even if you're trying to lose weight, you should have a proper breakfast," Pei Yuchen smiled as he served her a bowl of millet porridge.
Ji Nian was momentarily stunned and turned her head with a hint of embarrassment. "Thank you."
This action caused everyone present to pause for a moment. Mrs. Pei glanced at the butler by her side and then smiled as she asked, "Miss Ji, where are you from?"
Where is she from? Ji Nian was taken aback, meeting the gaze of the old lady. Well, it seemed like there was an ID card, but she didn't pay much attention to it...
"I'm not from the capital city," Ji Nian answered, still unsure. The original owner of the body should be from another province...
"Judging by your appearance, Miss Ji, you seem quite young. Are you still a student?"
Although the old lady had a kind smile on her face, Ji Nian, who had been scarred by society, couldn't help but notice the underlying meaning. It seemed that this old lady thought she was a woman trying to climb up the social ladder.
"I'm 21 this year. If I were studying normally, I would be in my third year of college. But I dropped out of high school and came to the capital city to work and make a living," Ji Nian calmly replied, with a hint of indifference.
The old lady's face stiffened. Dropped out of high school? She looked at her grandson, who seemed unconcerned. In her heart, she couldn't help but develop a dislike for this woman.
"It's rare for a young girl like you not to pursue education," she commented.
Ji Nian sighed in her heart. This is the suspicion of wealthy people. She hasn't done anything yet, but she's probably already been labeled as a common girl trying to climb up to a prestigious family.
Isn't it great to cling to the female lead? It's the halo around the female lead that makes her want to get close. As for these wealthy families, pfft, she doesn't even care.
"It's just that you've encountered it less in your circle," Ji Nian replied with a smile.
Although the elderly lady had a smile on her face, deep down she looked down on someone like Ji Nian. She nodded and said, "Different circles, indeed."
Heh, Ji Nian couldn't help but roll her eyes inwardly. Look at this, what kind of talk is this? Anyone with eyes can see that it's blatant contempt.
Pei Yuchen understood what his grandmother meant. He glanced at the woman's reaction and saw no trace of inferiority. She had a calm expression on her face, which made him curious.
At that moment, the phone rang. Ji Nian was relieved when she saw it and quickly answered, saying, "Hello."
"Sister Nian, I brought you breakfast, but it seems like no one's home." Xiao Tang stood at the entrance of the villa, holding a lunchbox.
"I'll be right back." Ji Nian breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao Tang came just in time!
After hanging up the phone, she stood up and said apologetically, "Madam, Dr. Pei, I need to go and prepare for work. Please enjoy your meal. I'll take my leave."
Dr. Pei nodded and asked, "Shall I accompany you?"
"No, no need!" Ji Nian decisively refused and smiled, "Goodbye." With that, she quickly slipped away.
