Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]-Chapter 229 - I’m fine

After Shao left, the tension that had hovered awkwardly around the table began to thin. Everyone returned to their food, but the atmosphere was quieter, more subdued.

Muchen stretched his arms above his head, a soft yawn escaping him as he leaned back against the bench, eyes half-lidded. "How about we go take another nap?" he said lazily, nudging Yunfeng gently with his elbow.

Yunfeng turned toward him, a small, fond smile playing on his face. "Hmm..." He leaned in, pressing a light kiss to the side of Muchen’s cheek.

And then they got up, walking away without another word.

Hana watched them go with a sweet smile—at least on the surface. Her expression turned a bit stiff as she noticed Jai. He hadn’t moved much since they sat down. His spoon still rested in his bowl, barely touched, and his shoulders looked tense beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. His eyes were distant, unfocused.

Zei stood up suddenly, stretching. "Ahh, I’ll get going. I see something interesting outside," he said with a lopsided grin, disappearing quickly.

Qiu Yue and Lu Zhi followed without much noise, their departure quiet and unassuming.

That left Hana, Yuki, and Jai.

Jai still hadn’t moved.

Hana tilted her head slightly and gave him a quiet once-over before speaking. "Are you okay?"

Jai blinked, as if coming out of a daze. "Hmm? Mnn..." he forced a small smile, barely tugging at the corners of his lips. "I’m fine."

"You don’t look fine," Hana said softly, nudging Yuki beside her. "What do you think, Yuki?"

The little girl blinked up at Jai, then said plainly, "Brother looks sad."

Jai reached up and touched his face as if surprised by the idea. He let out a loud sigh and dropped his hand. "Do I really look that bad? Why would I be sad... I didn’t do anything..." His voice grew quieter. "I didn’t..."

Hana gently leaned against his shoulder, offering warmth without pressure. "It’s okay... You just feel upset because of Shao."

Jai’s expression twisted, his eyes flickering with something raw. "He barely looked at me this morning," he muttered. "Did I do something wrong? All I did was... have a fucking scent to me, and now he avoids me like I’ve done something unforgivable."

He laughed bitterly, but it lacked humor. "I tried to act like everything is fine, I really did. But it’s not all fine. Nothing is fine."

The frustration boiled over. He let out a small groan and slumped forward, laying his head down on the metal mess table with a quiet thud. The surface was cool against his skin, but it didn’t help the heat in his chest.

Hana stayed beside him, resting her chin on her palm. "You care about him. It’s not a crime."

"Maybe it is, in his eyes," Jai mumbled into the table. "And that’s what makes it hurt."

Yuki quietly reached out and patted his arm.

Hana didn’t press Jai any further. She simply stayed by his side, letting the quiet moments stretch naturally. She believed if two people were meant to be close—whether as friends or something more—it would unfold in its own time, like a leaf turning toward sunlight.

Jai eventually sat up again, sighed, and with little fanfare, finished his congee. Not a grain was left.

"Let’s take a walk," Hana suggested with a cheerful tone, pulling him gently by the arm. "Some fresh air will do us good."

"Walk," Yuki repeated softly, clinging to Jai’s other hand.

The three of them wandered into the school courtyard, letting the broken stones guide them through the vines and wildflowers that had slowly reclaimed the abandoned grounds. Hana tried to lighten the mood as they walked, choosing a story she knew would make them laugh.

"You know," she said, smirking, "when Yunfeng was six, he once got his head stuck in a garden chair."

Jai blinked. "A chair?"

"One of those wrought iron ones with a round back," she continued, smiling at the memory. "He insisted he could fit his head through the design in the middle. He did. Barely. But then he couldn’t pull it back out."

Yuki covered her mouth with a giggle. "Uncle silly!"

"Oh, very," Hana grinned. "He screamed like the world was ending. His mother had to use cooking oil to grease his ears, and his dad was laughing so hard he filmed the whole thing. Muchen still has the video somewhere."

Jai chuckled, the first real laugh of the morning. "That actually makes me feel a little better."

"I’ve got more," Hana said. "Like the time he buried his shoes because he hated them and told everyone they were stolen by a fox."

"No way."

"Yup. It worked until it rained, and they saw the heels sticking out of the ground like a vegetable harvest."

Even Jai had to wipe tears of laughter from his eyes. "I can’t believe he turned out to be such a smooth talker."

"Oh, trust me. He was a disaster until he was at least twelve."

They continued walking in that lighthearted tone, the shadows of the trees dancing across their faces. But that peace was short-lived.

As they turned a corner near the back of the gym building, a tall man stepped into their path.

He was muscular, wearing a tattered sleeveless jacket that showed long arms marked with faded scars. He stood with arms crossed, eyes narrowing as he looked them over slowly—far too slowly.

Jai immediately went quiet, and Yuki’s fingers tightened around Hana’s hand.

The man’s gaze landed on Hana, lingering there.

"Didn’t think anyone still used this path," he muttered, his voice low and unreadable. "You’re from the west dorms, right?"

Hana didn’t answer, his spine straightening slightly.

The man’s eyes narrowed into a smirk. "You look familiar. Pretty girl like you are hard to forget."

Jai stepped forward without hesitation. "We were just walking. If we’re not supposed to be here, we’ll head back."

He didn’t move, just watched them.

"Come on," Hana said, giving Jai and Yuki a gentle tug.

They walked past him.

The man suddenly grabbed Hana by her arm. "come spend the day with me sweetheart~"