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

Wei Jue followed Pei Yan, thinking that His Highness, upon receiving the news, would rush to Jiangnan without a moment’s delay.

After all, Miss Mei was about to marry Gu Xun!

If he didn’t go stop it, the next time they met, Miss Mei would have to call His Highness "cousin."

Instead, he went to the Mei family’s residence in the Capital City.

Wei Jue was baffled. He reminded him, "Your Highness, Miss Mei has gone to Jiangnan. She hasn’t returned to the Capital City."

’Could it be that after being unconscious for so long, His Highness’s mind has become muddled?’

So Wei Jue thought.

Pei Yan entered the residence in silence. Wei Jue couldn’t tell if he had heard him or not.

Knowing his master’s temper and dislike for chatter, Wei Jue could only shut his mouth and follow behind without a sound.

Passing a covered walkway with carved railings, they saw a pond of withered lotuses. The steward was leading men to dredge the dead branches and fallen leaves from the water.

They fished out a box.

The box was exquisitely crafted; one look was enough to tell it was no ordinary object.

The steward was about to wipe it clean to see what was inside before deciding whether to put it in the storeroom.

If the young miss asked about it, he could have someone send it to Jiangnan.

The object in his hands was suddenly snatched away.

Seeing Pei Yan, the steward froze, truly not expecting him to come to the residence.

He saw that Pei Yan’s face was pale and he had grown thin, as if he had just recovered from a major illness.

The steward recalled the rumors in the Capital City. Some said that the prince might not make it.

’Why else would he not show his face?’

He quickly performed a grand bow.

Then he asked uncertainly, "Your Highness, is there some urgent matter?"

Pei Yan held the box, his eyes lowered in silence.

He would recognize this thing even if it were turned to ash.

Mei Wanying had once forced him to carve his name on the bottom of the box.

She said it was deeply meaningful and that they had to leave a special mark.

When he refused, she would glare at him with her watery eyes.

And scold him.

She forced him to carve the character ’Yan’ and even carved a small plum blossom next to it.

At the time, Pei Yan didn’t understand why Mei Wanying was so insistent on leaving one mark after another.

She not only carved on the box, but also left small marks on the clothes she wore and the handkerchiefs she used.

It was as if this was some special ritual.

She would be happy whenever she saw such marks.

Touching the plum blossom on the box, Pei Yan understood Mei Wanying’s feelings.

’This is the bond between them. How could she not be happy?’

And so, he was certain this was that very box.

Inside was the hairpin-pinning ceremony gift he had given Mei Wanying.

Pei Yan’s breathing grew heavy, and his hand holding the box tightened.

This object shouldn’t be here. It should have been kept close by Mei Wanying, never left behind no matter where she went.

’How could it have been left behind?’

And in the lake, no less, nearly lost forever.

A suspicion in the depths of his heart quickly took root, sprouted, and broke through the soil.

Pei Yan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice hoarse. "Why is it here?"

’Did Mei Wanying drop it by accident?’

’Or did someone steal it from her and deliberately throw it in the lake?’

That one suspicion grew clearer and clearer. Pei Yan suddenly felt a little afraid and subconsciously chose to avoid it.

In a flash, the steward recalled something. "It should be something the young miss threw away. One night, she came to the lakeside. Someone saw her."

Perhaps it was an illusion, but after he said this, Pei Yan’s face seemed to turn even paler.

The steward was a little worried. He turned his head to look at Wei Jue, asking with his eyes if they should call for a doctor.

Wei Jue shook his head.

He didn’t know what His Highness was thinking, but it was certainly related to Miss Mei.

’Let His Highness do as he pleases...’

There was something Pei Yan needed to verify himself. Only then would he know how he should approach Mei Wanying.

He told the steward to summon the Household Doctor.

The steward said, "After the mistress and the young miss left, the residence dismissed a number of staff. I don’t know if the person you wish to see is still in the Capital City."

Pei Yan was determined to see him. "One hour. Find him."

He had to confirm the answer.

But he couldn’t waste all his time here. He had to set out to find Mei Wanying today.

Whether Mei Wanying married or not, it would not change the purpose of his journey.

She was his wife to begin with.

It was only natural that she return to his side.

Pei Yan’s gaze was profound. His long, slender fingers held the wooden box, wiping away the mud bit by bit.

Finally, he opened the box.

The golden hairpin lay quietly inside.

Pei Yan gazed down at it, the pad of his finger caressing it gently, and then he suddenly laughed out loud.

’She can throw away the golden hairpin, but can she throw away the memories that belong to them?’

’Ah Yin can’t forget. She’s just deceiving herself!’

"Your Highness, I’ve brought the man."

Before Mei Wanying and Mrs. Mei left the Capital City, they had given the Household Doctor a sum of silver.

He had originally planned to return to his hometown and open a medical clinic.

But he was found by Empress Gu’s people and interrogated for news about Mei Wanying.

He was terrified, afraid of bringing trouble to his family back home, so after that incident, he had stayed in the Capital City.

If a Noble wanted to find him, it would be useless even if he fled to the ends of the earth.

He might as well stay right under their noses. If something happened, he would bear it himself, saving his family the trouble.

Pei Yan gave Wei Jue a look, and the latter immediately had the steward and all other uninvolved people leave.

Ordinary people wouldn’t dare to listen in on the private affairs of someone like him.

The steward ordered the men to move far away.

Inside, however, he was muttering to himself, ’The Mei family isn’t going to get dragged into some trouble, are they?’

’If so, I’ll have to write a letter to the mistress and the young miss, telling them to go far, far away.’

’They are the people the General cared about most. I must ensure the General can rest in peace.’

Pei Yan had no time to beat around the bush. He directly asked the Household Doctor, "On the anniversary of the General’s death, that prescription—what was it for?"

’As I expected, it’s about this matter again.’

The Household Doctor wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "It was... it was abortion soup."

Pei Yan’s expression froze.

’So, she had come back that early.’

’No wonder she ignored me afterward.’

’She wasn’t throwing a tantrum or playing hard to get; she truly wanted to draw a clear line between them.’

As Pei Yan remained silent, the Household Doctor could only spill the beans, explaining everything about that night.

"When I saw the prescription, I found it strange. The only masters in the residence are the mistress and the young miss. That abortion soup is very potent and can harm the body. I was afraid someone had ill intentions and was using it for malicious purposes, so I asked you about the patient’s symptoms..."

At that time, Pei Yan had said she had abdominal pain, the symptom of a woman’s monthly period.

So the doctor adjusted the prescription.

I thought I had done a good deed, but I never expected both the Empress and His Highness to be asking about that night.

The Household Doctor wiped his sweat again. ’It seems I’ve caused a disaster...’

The suspicion in his heart was confirmed.

Just like him, Ah Yin had been reborn, too.

Only this time, she had chosen a completely different path.

She was unwilling to marry him.

And unwilling to love him.

’No matter. This time, it’s my turn to love Ah Yin.’

Pei Yan shot to his feet, his grip on the box in his hand tightening fiercely.

A storm of emotions surged through him, and a trace of color returned to his pale face.

’Mei Wanying really was pregnant.’

’No wonder she was so secretive, refusing to let me see her belly no matter what.’

’And cried so sorrowfully.’

’Hiding such a huge secret, she must have felt so wronged and anxious, right?’

So, she had gotten pregnant that night.

It wasn’t a seed planted on the day after their wedding, from their passionate entanglement.

The events of his past life and this one all connected.

The change had all started that one night. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Pei Yan’s heart pounded, urging him to go to Jiangnan and find his wife.

’If Mei Wanying dares to marry someone else while carrying my child, I will tear Gu Xun to pieces.’

’She is my woman, and that is my child.’

’I will never forgive anyone who dares to interfere!’