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

"Pei Yan, you bastard!"

Mei Wanying’s waist was pinned, her hands held fast. She couldn’t move.

Other than cursing and kicking at him, there was nothing else she could do.

She thought she knew Pei Yan, that she’d seen the worst of his depravity, but she never imagined he was also a madman.

He was capable of anything.

’He’s completely shameless!’

Mei Wanying was furious and drained, hating herself for ever getting involved with Pei Yan.

She also hated him for going back on his word.

They had clearly agreed from the very beginning: they would each marry whomever they pleased and stay out of each other’s lives.

Even Gu Xun was someone she had chosen from that list of candidates.

’What more could he possibly be dissatisfied with?’

Mei Wanying was once again certain: Pei Yan simply couldn’t stand to see her happy.

"You’ve gone too far."

Mei Wanying’s voice trembled, but she refused to let him see her cry.

Pei Yan’s gaze lingered on Mei Wanying’s face, as if he could never get his fill of looking at her.

Beneath the greed in his eyes was an unconcealable obsession.

’I know I’m being a bastard, that I’ve angered Ah Yin yet again, but I’m out of options. I never want to be separated from her again.’

’We’re husband and wife.’

’We were in our last life.’

’And we are in this one.’

’We’re meant to live a long and happy life together.’

’As long as Ah Yin doesn’t leave me, anything else is negotiable.’

’That’s my only demand.’

He brought the jade cup to Mei Wanying’s lips, coaxing her softly, "Drink this, and I’ll let you go."

"Get lost!"

Mei Wanying turned her head away in a clear gesture of refusal.

’I’ll never believe a word Pei Yan says again!’

Pei Yan wasn’t annoyed. "Ah Yin, do you want me to feed it to you myself?"

His gaze fell upon Mei Wanying’s lips.

The lipstick was a vibrant shade, making her lips look luscious and inviting, like a flower in full bloom waiting to be plucked.

’This is my woman. I’ve tasted the depths of that addiction.’

Mei Wanying couldn’t bear his aggressive gaze and was on the verge of breaking down. "What in the world are you trying to do?"

Pei Yan tightened his arms around her. "I want our family of three to live a good life together, without any more fighting."

’He knows about the child after all.’

Mei Wanying raised her voice. "Ling is my child, and mine alone!"

Pei Yan smiled and asked, "Is her name Lingling? Mei Ling?"

That wasn’t her point!

Pei Yan repeated their daughter’s name. "It’s beautiful. It suits our daughter perfectly."

Mei Wanying couldn’t stand hearing that. "She is *my* daughter!"

Pei Yan placated her. "Yes, she’s your daughter."

He silently added in his heart, ’And she’s my daughter, too.’

’Ours! His and Mei Wanying’s!’

It was like punching cotton—he was completely unharmed, while she felt herself sinking into a mire, bound and unable to move.

Mei Wanying felt utterly drained.

"Pei Yan, don’t make me hate you."

Her voice was barely a whisper, yet it shattered Pei Yan’s self-deceiving fantasy.

’Today wasn’t his wedding to Mei Wanying.’

’It was something he had stolen from Gu Xun!’

The forced calm on his face cracked, revealing the unease beneath.

’What can I do to make Ah Yin forgive me?’

Pei Yan stopped trying to force Mei Wanying to drink the wedding wine. He set the jade cup aside, wrapped his arms tightly around her, and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Ah Yin, don’t cast me aside."

Something warm and wet dripped onto her skin. Mei Wanying’s pupils dilated, and her breathing grew heavy.

"Pei Yan, this isn’t like you."

He was cold-hearted and callous, treating nothing with importance. He could even face life and death with indifference.

’How could he possibly... cry?’

’Besides, Pei Yan never liked me. Every time he saw me, he couldn’t wait to get as far away as possible.’

’Now that everything is going the way he supposedly wanted, why is he clinging to me and refusing to let go?’

The tip of Mei Wanying’s nose tingled with unshed tears. "We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Please... just stay away!"

As the words left her mouth, the man’s arms tightened around her even more.

’It took so much to get back to Mei Wanying’s side, to be able to see her, to hold her.’

’I’ll never let go.’

’Not even in death!’

Pei Yan proved his intentions with his actions. Not only did he not let go, he held her even tighter.

Afraid of hurting Mei Wanying’s stomach, he positioned his rigid arms just below her chest.

Mei Wanying had just given birth and her body hadn’t fully recovered. As much of a bastard as Pei Yan was, he wouldn’t hurt her at a time like this.

Being so close, he caught the faint, milky scent on her.

’The woman I love bore me a child, a child who shares our blood.’

Pei Yan grasped at a lifeline.

His voice was muffled as he said, "Ling needs a father. Ah Yin, I’ll be on my best behavior. I won’t disappoint you again."

Mei Wanying sneered, "She needs a father, but she doesn’t need you!"

Pei Yan’s heart ached as if it had been stabbed. ’She doesn’t need me?’

’Does she want Gu Xun instead?’

’I won’t allow it!’

"Ah Yin, I won’t fight you for the child, on the condition that our family of three stays together."

To Mei Wanying, this was undoubtedly a threat.

If she didn’t accept Pei Yan, he would take the child from her.

’But why should I accept him?’

’And what right does he have to take my child away?’

"You’re shameless!"

Mei Wanying struggled with all her might and broke free from his hold.

Perhaps Pei Yan was caught off guard, or perhaps there was another reason, but not only did Mei Wanying break free, the tall man’s body even swayed.

He quickly grabbed a bedpost to steady himself.

Mei Wanying didn’t look at him. She lifted the hem of her wedding dress and walked toward the door.

"Ding Xiang!"

"Nanny Liu!"

No one answered.

This was the Mei family’s old residence. Today was the day she was marrying a man into her family, and while many servants had been dispatched to the front courtyard to entertain guests, she had still kept quite a few people in her own courtyard.

Now, with Pei Yan in her bridal chamber and no one outside responding, Mei Wanying was no longer surprised.

’That bastard must have done something!’

’And Gu Xun... he wouldn’t miss the wedding for no reason.’

’I wonder what Pei Yan did to him.’

She was the one who had proposed the marriage. Now that it had brought trouble upon Gu Xun, Mei Wanying was filled with guilt.

She could only hope that Pei Yan still had a shred of humanity left and wouldn’t harm Gu Xun.

Mei Wanying yanked on the door, but it wouldn’t budge.

"Why don’t you just go die!"

She turned and cursed, her beautiful eyes glaring at Pei Yan, filled with rage.

The corners of Pei Yan’s lips curved into an expression that was halfway between a sob and a smile. "The wicked live long lives, Ah Yin. I won’t die so easily."

’Mei Wanying is still alive. I can’t bear to die.’

Mei Wanying couldn’t stand his composed demeanor and wished she could slap him across the face a few times.

Sensing her intent, Pei Yan took a step closer. "You can do whatever you want to vent your anger."

Last time at the temple, Ah Yin had slapped him twice.

He was happy to let her vent.

Pei Yan’s gaze burned as he watched Mei Wanying, as if he was looking forward to her unleashing all her emotions on him.

’Doing so would prove that he was special to her.’

’Ah Yin is very polite to Gu Xun, which proves she doesn’t truly consider him one of her own.’

’Politeness implies distance.’

’Forcing a marriage with him would be going astray.’

"You’re a madman!"

Mei Wanying cursed again and demanded that Pei Yan open the door.

’We’ve been apart for too long. I miss Mei Wanying so much, I just want to spend a little more time with her.’

’Even if it means being cursed at, I won’t let her leave.’

A powerful urge to cough surged up. His expression flickered as he desperately tried to suppress it.

He reached out a long arm and pushed the door open. "Lingling is crying. Go check on her."

Without questioning his motives, Mei Wanying left without a moment’s hesitation.

Pei Yan wanted to say something, but a tickle erupted in his throat.

He covered his mouth and coughed. A startling patch of crimson appeared once more in his palm.