A Marriage in Name Only? My Stepbrother Won't Let Me Go

Gu Xun held an official post and was swamped with duties, so he couldn’t visit Mei Wanying every day.

He went away on official business, and when he returned, he heard that Mei Wanying had given birth!

He had already calculated the due date; it wasn’t time for her to give birth yet.

Upon asking, he learned that Mrs. Gu had done another one of her "good deeds," enraging Mei Wanying and causing her to go into premature labor.

Childbirth is a life-and-death struggle for a woman. If she was provoked on top of that, a moment of carelessness could have cost both mother and child their lives!

Gu Xun was furious and ordered Mrs. Gu to take her people and leave the Mei family’s residence.

Mrs. Gu hesitated. Mei Wanying had given birth, and to a girl at that. They probably weren’t needed to serve her anymore.

But the Empress hadn’t given the order, so she didn’t dare act on her own.

The child was His Highness’s flesh and blood, after all. Even if she was a daughter, she was still of royal birth.

The Empress might be disappointed, but she wouldn’t go so far as to treat the child like a common weed.

She truly couldn’t grasp the Noble’s intentions.

"I have already sent a message to the Empress. If Her Majesty tells us to return to the capital, I will not stay a moment longer."

Mrs. Gu added, "Besides, Miss Mei can’t stand the sight of me anyway."

’I’ve done my utmost for Mei Wanying,’ she thought. ’I was afraid she’d get tired, afraid she’d suffer, and I did everything I could to alleviate her discomfort during pregnancy.’

’The only thing she dislikes is how strictly I managed her.’

’But that was also for her and the baby’s own good.’

’Otherwise, wouldn’t it be much easier for me to not worry about a thing and just let Mei Wanying do whatever she pleased?’

’It’s because I worried too much that Mei Wanying can’t stand me.’

’But Mei Wanying gave birth to a healthy child. Nothing is more important than that.’

Mrs. Gu felt that she had completed her mission perfectly.

’It was Mei Wanying’s own womb that failed her by not producing a boy. It has nothing to do with me.’

The Royal Family has no shortage of Princesses. Although this child of Mei Wanying’s was His Highness’s first, she was, in the end, just a girl.

’How could a girl be as precious as a boy?’

’She can’t inherit the throne, either.’

’I imagine the Empress won’t go to great lengths or waste any more energy on this child.’

"Xun, just ask Miss Mei to bear with it for a few more days. I won’t be a nuisance in her presence. We can decide what to do after the Empress’s letter arrives, all right?"

Gu Xun truly didn’t understand Mrs. Gu. Back at the Gu Family estate, she was always meticulous and wholeheartedly devoted to the Gu family.

So why was it that when she got to Mei Wanying, she wanted to lord it over her?

’What does she take Mei Wanying for?’

’And who does she think she is?!’

Gu Xun was gentle by nature, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a temper.

Mei Wanying’s premature birth had crossed his line.

He would not allow anyone from the Gu family to bully Mei Wanying like this.

Absolutely not!

He told Mrs. Gu to leave at once. "I will explain things to my aunt. Even if the sky falls, I will bear the consequences. If you anger her again, don’t blame me for expelling you from the Gu Family!"

His expression was grim; he wasn’t just making an empty threat.

To Mrs. Gu, the Gu Family was her heaven, her everything.

Even in death, she wanted to be a ghost of the Gu Family!

There could be no harsher punishment. Mrs. Gu’s face turned deathly pale.

"Xun, I really was doing it for Miss Mei’s own good! Her child is of His Highness’s bloodline, and also has a share from our Gu Family..."

"Get out!"

Gu Xun couldn’t take it anymore.

"This child’s surname is Mei! Don’t forget what my aunt promised!"

’They keep emphasizing that this is Pei Yan’s bloodline. What are they trying to do?’

’The child Mei Wanying gave birth to belongs to Mei Wanying alone!’

In his fury, Gu Xun’s reason flew out the window.

’Everyone says it’s Pei Yan’s child, but what proof do they have?’

The man’s aura was overwhelming. Cold sweat began to bead on Mrs. Gu’s forehead.

She bowed low, her lips trembling. "The Empress hasn’t given the order yet..."

Not wanting to waste any more words, Gu Xun ordered his men to throw them out directly.

A great commotion erupted outside the courtyard.

It was chaotic.

Mei Wanying was in postpartum confinement and couldn’t go out into the wind, so she could only ask Ding Xiang to see what all the fuss was about.

Just then, Xue Xingyao came in from outside. Having witnessed the entire event, she recounted it to Mei Wanying.

She asked, "So that was Mrs. Gu’s younger son, Gu Xun?"

Mei Wanying nodded. "That’s him."

In the past, Xue Xingyao would have definitely praised Gu Xun.

’He knows how to protect Ah Yin; he’s so much better than Pei Yan.’

But after what happened with Chen Shujing, she had lost all faith in men.

She didn’t want her dear friend to walk the same old path she had.

She squeezed Mei Wanying’s hand and said earnestly, "You should test him more. No matter how good he is, don’t be in a rush to make a decision."

Mei Wanying replied, "I’m not getting married. Why would I test him?"

Xue Xingyao chided her, "I heard from Aunt Su. Gu Xun is willing to marry into your family."

Mei Wanying, content now that she had a daughter, said, "Having a live-in son-in-law doesn’t guarantee a perfect life. It might be easier for me to raise my child alone."

Xue Xingyao said, "Regardless, having a son-in-law marry into the family is better than marrying into someone else’s. No matter how good your in-laws are, it’s hard to truly fit in."

Xue Xingyao had never heard of any of the Noble Children marrying into their wife’s family.

Gu Xun was the only one.

’To go this far, he either loves Ah Yin to death, or he has ulterior motives.’

After her experience with Chen Shujing, Xue Xingyao couldn’t help but overthink things.

The Mei family was large and prosperous, and Ah Yin was the only daughter. Countless people were hoping to prey on a family with no male heir.

At times like this, Xue Xingyao felt that Pei Yan wasn’t so bad after all.

’At least he wouldn’t plot to seize Ah Yin’s family fortune.’

’Nor would he deceive her emotionally.’

The affairs of her own family had yet to be settled, and her marriage was also shrouded in darkness.

Yet, she still needed Chen Shujing to run errands for her, so she couldn’t just ask for a divorce outright.

Xue Xingyao didn’t want to worry Mei Wanying, but her spirits couldn’t help but sink.

’I don’t understand,’ she thought. ’I’ve never done anything wrong, so why has my life been so difficult?’

’When I married Chen Shujing, I really thought I had found someone who would be wholeheartedly devoted to me.’

’In the end... it was all just an illusion.’

Xue Xingyao sat by the cradle, looking down at the tiny person inside.

So small.

So lovable.

But her own child never even had the chance to be born.

Her eyes couldn’t help but redden.

Xue Xingyao tried her best to hold it in, but warm liquid still trickled from her eyes.

"Is the window not closed properly?"

Using this as an excuse, she hurried to the window and, with her back to Mei Wanying, wiped the tears from her face.

Mei Wanying wanted no more entanglements with Pei Yan, but at this moment, the thought of seeing him one more time arose in her mind.

They had known each other for too long; she knew Pei Yan’s temperament.

Although he seemed unyielding, he was actually the type to say one thing and mean another. As long as she could figure out what he was truly thinking, he would help.

’What could be more important than a person’s life?’

’Ah Yao is my best friend. Now that she’s at her lowest point, how can I not lend her a hand?’

’Compared to a life, nothing else matters...’

The baby in the cradle stirred and began to cry with her eyes still closed.

This interrupted the somber mood of Mei Wanying and Xue Xingyao.

Just as Pei Yan had said, Mei Wanying was possessive, and this was true even with her own child.

She didn’t want her daughter to grow up drinking another woman’s milk, so she hadn’t hired a wet nurse.

Instead, she was nursing the baby herself.

The little one, held in her arms, drank her milk while making soft, milky cooing sounds.

Mei Wanying’s heart melted.

’This is my daughter, and mine alone. As long as Pei Yan doesn’t try to take her from me, any other terms can be negotiated.’