The Man in the Black Sweater - Chapter 16 — Prenatal Mood Swings

Pei Yan sat at the head of the dining table, before him a half-eaten breakfast.
One hand held a cup of coffee, the other a newspaper — his posture calm and composed.

“Look up. You’re about to eat the plate too.”
He lowered the newspaper slightly and tilted his head to glance at the woman across from him.

Luo Xu brushed her hair aside, revealing half of her face.
To be honest, she was a beautiful woman — but not in the conventional sense.

The current trend favored women with fair skin, long legs, and delicate manners — either soft-spoken “green tea girls” or boisterous “tomboy types.”
Fortunately, Luo Xu was neither.

Her skin had once been a sun-kissed wheat tone — not exactly fitting the local beauty standards — but her slender monolid eyes carried a subtle allure. When she squinted at you, it was almost like she was casting a spell.

When her hair was short, she looked androgynous — free-spirited, with a touch of boyish charm. But as it grew a little longer, that charm shifted — her femininity began to bloom, and when she smiled, it was like a light tickle right at the heart.

“Did you put on makeup?” he asked, studying her closely.

Luo Xu lowered her head with a shy smile. “Just a little…”

Pei Yan set the newspaper aside. “Don’t wear makeup. You’re still a pregnant woman.”

Clink— The sharp scrape of her knife against the plate broke the quiet atmosphere.

“Sorry, my hand slipped.” She put the knife down.

Pei Yan frowned slightly. “If it’s too cold, go change into something warmer.”

Luo Xu pressed her lips together. The short, slightly sexy skirt she had spent half an hour picking out was now officially a casualty.

She stood up, glared at him, and stomped upstairs in her slippers with a slap-slap-slap.

Aunt Chen came out with a plate of fruit. “Sir, please don’t mind her. Pregnant women tend to have strange tempers sometimes…”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, some even get depression if it’s serious.”

Pei Yan looked surprised. “That bad?”

“It’s rare,” Aunt Chen said, smiling knowingly. “Most of the time, it’s just mood swings from not adjusting well.”

He looked at the door Luo Xu had slammed shut. He didn’t think she was being spoiled — just young. About Tang You’s age, probably. Now she was pregnant and living in someone else’s home… it made sense she’d feel uneasy.

Luo Xu had changed clothes and sat by the window, hugging Ross and rubbing his head.

“Failure! Total failure! This trick doesn’t work at all!”

It was the first tactic Monica had suggested — use your charm.

Luo Xu looked down at her belly and sighed. Yeah, right — what kind of seductive allure could a pregnant woman possibly have?

Knock, knock, knock.

“The door’s open, come in,” she called, hopping down from the windowsill — still agile as ever.

Pei Yan opened the door.
Seeing her now dressed in a sweater and pants, she somehow looked a bit more obedient than before.

“You said you used to be a model, right?” he asked.

“Mm-hmm.” Luo Xu blinked, unsure where this was going.

“There’s a fashion show this afternoon at the Aolai Hotel. Do you want to go?”

She looked at him skeptically. “What kind of show? Am I going alone?”

Pei Yan pulled out his phone and glanced at his schedule. “I haven’t checked the details. Just think of it as a way to pass the time. I can free up two hours to go with you — will that do?”

Luo Xu’s eyes lit up. Had her plan actually worked?

Ugh, his reaction time was way too slow though.

“Mrs. Chen said you might get bored around this time, so I’ll try to arrange some entertainment for you from now on,” Pei Yan said, hands tucked in his pockets.

Luo Xu thought it was a great idea, but she still asked carefully, “Sorry… around what time?”

He lifted his chin slightly. “During pregnancy. If your mood becomes unstable, it can lead to depression. You need to take care of yourself.”

Luo Xu: “…”

Self-delusional.
That phrase might as well have been stamped across her forehead.

After Pei Yan left for work, Luo Xu lay on her bed, caught between brightness and melancholy.

Happy — because he cared enough to notice her.
Sad — because, to him, it was probably just part of his responsibility.

Her emotions swung wildly — joy to gloom, standing to pacing. Then she went to the mirror, walking back and forth, flipping her hair, rising on her toes — like a restless little madwoman.

“Ugh…” She ran her fingers through her short hair in frustration and let out a long sigh.
If she weren’t pregnant right now, she’d have thrown herself at him already — success or failure be damned. Who cares about the outcome? A handsome man shouldn’t go unflirted with!

Pregnant… She turned sideways to face the mirror.
Her belly was slightly rounded now — finally showing a faint trace of maternity.

But then again, if it weren’t for the pregnancy, how would she have ever met Pei Yan?

In God’s grand plan, he and the little one inside her had come as a package deal — she couldn’t have one without the other.

Forget it. Even if she managed to win him over, then what?
Would he really accept another man’s child in her womb?

And even if he did, wouldn’t that just make her feel sorry for him?
A man like him — with his status and conditions — why should he raise a child belonging to someone he’s never even met?

Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts.
A video call — from Monica.

“How was your exam?” Luo Xu asked with a smile.

“So-so.” Monica was lying on her bed, peering through the screen at Luo Xu’s surroundings.
She let out a whistle. “Don Juan really tricked us. What a shameless jerk — pretending to be broke when he’s clearly a rich second-generation heir! Always drinking our booze for free — no class at all.”

“This is his uncle’s house,” Luo Xu said, smiling faintly. “Strictly speaking, none of this is actually his.”

“You’ve gotten into character fast, huh?” Monica teased.

Luo Xu chuckled. “Something like that.”

“All that professionalism won’t help you, babe. If Don Juan knew that one uncle is possibly your baby’s father, and the other is your secret crush, he’d go absolutely insane.”

“Uh… let’s keep that between us.”

“Of course I won’t tell. But can you hide it from yourself? You know, as the great someone once said — there are two things in the world that can’t be hidden: a cough, and love.”

“…It’s not love.”

“Then how do you explain your behavior?”

Luo Xu sighed and turned toward the window.
A flock of wild geese flew gracefully across the southern sky, announcing their return.

On the other end, Monica heard her friend’s long sigh — part resignation, part sweetness — and then came Luo Xu’s soft murmur:

“It’s infatuation.”

Like being a fangirl, she thought.
You adore every move he makes, every word, every gesture — utterly captivated by him.
But you also know he’s far away, untouchable.

Indeed, the greatest distance in the world isn’t between life and death.
For Luo Xu, it was this —
I secretly like you, but you only see me as your nephew’s girlfriend.

…..

After checking the Aolai Hotel online, Luo Xu changed back into the dress she had worn that morning.

Sitting in front of the vanity, her face was bare — her skin smooth and luminous like a pearl. Though not porcelain white, it was flawless nonetheless.

She picked up her makeup brush, hesitated for a moment, then put it down.
He didn’t seem to like women who wore makeup — and his sharp eyes could even spot the faintest trace of it.

But then she remembered — Miss Linru wore makeup too.

Dressed in a new outfit, carrying a new handbag, she greeted the driver with a smile and stepped into the luxurious car.
For a moment, she found herself dazed.

Had she ever imagined living like this before?
Probably not. She wouldn’t have even dared.

They arrived early at the venue. Security lines had been set up at the entrance — no one without an invitation or staff credentials was allowed in.

Holding two invitations in her hand, Luo Xu asked, “Brother Liu, how long until Mr. Pei arrives?”

“The secretary said he’s still in a meeting.”

Luo Xu stayed seated in the car, quietly waiting.

Time slipped away like a tango — gracefully, teasingly.
The crowd at the entrance thinned out; even half the staff had disappeared.

Finally, Luo Xu loosened her grip on the invitations and opened the car door. “Let’s go in. Looks like he’s not coming.”

“Alright.”

The staff checking invitations had sharp, discerning eyes. Seeing her dressed elegantly and accompanied by a driver, they immediately assumed she was someone from the upper circles.

“Good evening, Miss. Your seat is in Section A, first row. Please follow me,” the hostess said with a polite smile.

Luo Xu nodded and handed one of the invitations to the driver. “If he comes, give this to him.”

“Understood.”

Luo Xu had never been to such an event before, yet somehow, she had the best seat in the house.
To her left was an empty chair, to her right sat the event’s organizer — and next to that, the designer.
The rest of the guests were seated along the sides of the U-shaped runway, making her position look like the centerpiece — a star among stars.

But Luo Xu wasn’t one to lack confidence.
She glanced around calmly, then sat down without greeting anyone, her quiet composure making her seem even more enigmatic.

The director sitting beside her exchanged a glance with someone; a staff member immediately went to investigate whose hands the invitations had ended up in.
It didn’t take long to figure it out.

“Director, the guest is with Mr. Pei,” the staff reported quietly through an earpiece.

“Mr. Pei — from Pei Corporation?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

Luo Xu looked down at her phone — no messages, no missed calls.

“Luo Xu?”
A soft, graceful voice broke the odd tension that lingered around her.

Luo Xu looked up.
In a flowing red dress, Linru was walking toward her — every step elegant and alluring.

“Miss Linru, what a coincidence,” Luo Xu said, standing to greet her politely.

“What brings you here?” Linru asked with a friendly smile, holding her hand.

“Just bored at home, thought I’d get some air,” Luo Xu replied casually.

A collective gasp rippled around them — so synchronized that she couldn’t help but notice.
“What? Did I say something wrong?” she asked, puzzled.

Linru reached over and pulled a woman to her feet, smiling. “This is Miss Su Qi — she’s the director of this entire show. If you say that, she might get upset.”

Su Qi finally had an excuse to speak without breaking her composure. She extended her hand politely.
“I’m Su Qi, the director of tonight’s event.”

“Oh, nice to meet you. I’m Luo Xu.”

Linru asked, “Where’s Brother Pei? Didn’t he come?”

“No.”

Linru didn’t seem disappointed. “Makes sense. This kind of event probably isn’t his thing.”

Su Qi nudged her shoulder playfully. “What do you mean, this kind of event? Are you saying my show isn’t worthy of Miss Lin’s presence?”

“Misunderstanding!” Linru laughed, wrapping an arm around Su Qi’s shoulder affectionately. “I meant men and women have different interests — I’d never insult your work!”

It seemed the two were good friends.

The lights dimmed. Linru smoothly took the empty seat beside Luo Xu.
“My seat’s too far off to the side,” she said in a whisper. “You don’t mind if I sit here, do you?”

Her tone was so natural, Luo Xu couldn’t possibly refuse.

It was her first time sitting in the front row at a fashion show — the feeling was surreal.
It was like being pulled into a magnificent ball where everyone around her danced gracefully to the music — elegant, poised, dazzling.

She sat at the very center of it all, yet no matter how beautiful the scene around her, she couldn’t quite find a way to belong.

It was a mistake — she shouldn’t have been sitting there.
Rather than sitting upright and proper in the front row, she would’ve much preferred squeezing into the crowd, whistling, chatting, and gossiping with friends as she watched.

Glancing around, she saw that everyone was absorbed in the show. Quietly, she rose to her feet.
Lifting her skirt slightly, she slipped along the aisle toward the exit.
The people she passed were either entranced by the models or whispering among themselves — no one noticed her leaving.

Then suddenly, she stopped.
Her gaze fell on a familiar figure standing at the end of the red carpet.

He wore an indigo overcoat left casually unbuttoned, revealing the crisp white shirt beneath.
The hem of the shirt fluttered lightly as he stood with both hands in his pockets, looking every bit like someone who had been waiting for a while.

“I guessed you wouldn’t be able to sit still,” he said with a smile.

“How long have you been here?” Luo Xu asked, surprised.

“Ten minutes.”

“Why didn’t you come in?”

“I thought, if you were enjoying it, I’d go find you.”

“And if I wasn’t?”

“Then just like now — you’d come out on your own, and I’d save myself a few steps by waiting here.”

Luo Xu let go of her skirt, clasping her hands behind her back.
Her beautiful eyes shimmered like stars.

“I’m a little hungry,” she said.

“What do you want to eat?”

“I heard the hot pot here is really good.”

“…Alright then.”

From a distance, Linru turned her head and saw the two of them — one tall, one slightly shorter — disappearing together into the play of lights and shadows.