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

Ling was clingy with Mei Wanying, wailing the moment she was put down. Left with no choice, Mei Wanying had to bring her along to meet her guest.

After Pei Yan had stirred things up, whether outsiders believed it or not, he himself had claimed the title of Ling’s father.

Mei Wanying no longer needed to be secretive, so she simply began bringing Ling out into the open.

This was her daughter, the future heir of the Mei family; she couldn’t be hidden away forever.

Recently, Chen Shujing had been very busy. The Xue Family had fallen into trouble, and his wife had lost their child...

With so many things piling up at once, he had no time to concern himself with the affairs of Pei Yan and Mei Wanying.

All he knew was that Pei Yan had come to Jiangnan to win Mei Wanying back; he was completely unaware of anything else.

When he saw Mei Wanying holding a child, his eyes widened in shock.

Chen Shujing quickly stood up. He was a tall man, so the moment he stood, he got a clear view of the little baby’s features.

She was practically carved from the same mold as Mei Wanying.

But on closer inspection, there was also a faint trace of Pei Yan in her features.

This left Chen Shujing even more astonished.

’When Miss Mei was in the Capital City, Pei Yan was always cold and aloof toward her. He went to the Border after that, so when could he possibly have had time to have a child with Miss Mei?’

’Most importantly, they weren’t married.’

’How could they have a child!’

He stammered, "This... this is..."

Mei Wanying, holding the child, sat in the seat of honor. "My daughter."

Chen Shujing was usually composed, but at that moment, he nearly bit his tongue.

He asked tentatively, "The child’s father is..."

’I want to ask if it’s Pei Yan,’ he thought, ’but that would be overstepping.’ He swallowed the words back down.

’Later, I’ll have to ask Pei Yan just when this child happened.’

’Miss Mei isn’t even married to him, and he went and did something like this.’

’The man is worse than a beast!’

Even though the child looked like Mei Wanying, Chen Shujing was certain in his heart that the father was none other than Pei Yan.

Seeing a stranger, the little baby grew very curious, constantly twisting her head to look at Chen Shujing.

Those big, round eyes, with their clear whites and dark pupils, shone with a clever spark.

’She must have gotten that from Mei Wanying. I heard she used to be innocent and endearingly naive, and impossibly lively.’

’Pei Yan, that block of wood, certainly doesn’t have a personality this endearing.’

Mei Wanying tightened her arm, trying to get her daughter to nestle obediently in her embrace, but Ling wouldn’t listen, insisting on twisting her head to stare at the stranger.

Mei Wanying was resigned.

’This little girl’s curiosity is a bit too strong. When she gets a little older, I’m afraid she’ll be even harder to manage.’

She said to Chen Shujing, "Her surname is Mei. She is the sole daughter of my Mei family."

’So she’s keeping the daughter, but disavowing the father.’

Chen Shujing had only ever heard of keeping the child and discarding the mother; this was the first time he’d ever seen someone keep the child and discard the father.

He suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Pei Yan.

’Miss Mei’s attitude is resolute. It will be difficult for him to get what he wants...’

As Chen Shujing looked at Ling, he was caught off guard by the thought of his and Xue Xingyao’s child.

The child who had come and gone so briefly, leaving before it even had a chance to see the world.

His mood suddenly plummeted.

’What right do I have to pity Pei Yan?’

’At least Pei Yan’s daughter is alive and well.’

’But my child with Ah Yao... I don’t even know if it was a boy or a girl. It never even had a chance to be born.’

Chen Shujing averted his gaze, no longer looking at Ling.

Ling seemed to lose interest, smacking her little lips and finally looking away.

Now stretching her tiny hands, now kicking her tiny feet, she kept herself entertained.

With the child no longer causing a disturbance, Mei Wanying got down to business. "Heir Chen, I heard from Ah Yao that you were running errands in the Capital City on behalf of her family. So how is it that..."

Chen Shujing understood her unspoken question.

Suddenly, he found the words difficult to say.

’But Ah Yao knows why I came to Jiangnan, and Mei Wanying will find out eventually. There’s no point in lying.’

Lacking confidence, Chen Shujing stared at the pattern on his teacup. "An old friend’s younger brother ran into some trouble. I came to check on the situation."

’The Capital City is thousands of miles from Jiangnan. Even with Chen Shujing’s constitution, it would take the better part of two weeks to make the journey by express horse.’

’For him to be so concerned, it was obvious who this "old friend" was.’

Mei Wanying didn’t know the Shen siblings, and she had no desire to investigate whether they were in the wrong.

But Chen Shujing’s transgression was crystal clear.

There was no room for excuses.

Mei Wanying was seething. "Heir Chen, Ah Yao is your lawfully wedded wife! She is your family! With actions like these, where does that leave her?"

Chen Shujing understood the logic. He also knew he had wronged Xue Xingyao.

But he was genuinely conflicted.

"There’s an order to things. I promised Miss Shen that I would look after her younger brother. I can’t just abandon my responsibility halfway through."

Mei Wanying almost laughed out of sheer anger.

"If you want to be a good person, no one is stopping you! But you have no right to trample on Ah Yao’s sincere feelings!"

Xue Xingyao had truly fallen for him.

When she returned from visiting relatives, she looked like a young girl in the throes of first love every time she mentioned Chen Shujing.

Mei Wanying hadn’t advised her against it at the time because, in her previous life, Ah Yao and Chen Shujing had a happy marriage.

She never imagined that what Ah Yao had swallowed was honey-coated poison.

From the very beginning, Chen Shujing had not been honest.

Now that the truth was out, he still had no intention of cutting ties with his past.

He even prioritized the Shen family’s affairs over Ah Yao.

’He’s even more of a scoundrel than Pei Yan!’

Mei Wanying was usually good-tempered and didn’t anger easily, but this time she truly couldn’t restrain her fury.

She rocked her daughter gently in her arms to soothe her, all while glaring coldly at Chen Shujing.

"If you can’t let go of Miss Shen, then why did you have to go and ruin another good woman? You should have remained chaste for Miss Shen your whole life, to truly honor your ’deep and abiding friendship’!"

Chen Shujing already felt deeply guilty toward Xue Xingyao, and now, being berated by Mei Wanying, he couldn’t even lift his head.

His heart filled with bitterness as he forced a bleak smile. "Miss Mei, I came to trouble you because I hoped you could help me talk to Ah Yao. She... she wants a divorce."

"Good for her!"

Mei Wanying lifted her chin slightly, her eyes filled with disdain for Chen Shujing. "If you think you can push Ah Yao around as you please just because the Xue Family has fallen, then you are sorely mistaken."

"Never mind that Ah Yao still has me; even if she were all alone in this world, she would not suffer this kind of humiliation."

"She is a woman, and may seem weak, but she has backbone!"

Everyone pursues different things. For anyone else, Mei Wanying might have advised them to endure it for the sake of power and wealth.

The world is a hard place; it’s better to feign ignorance than to live a life of misery.

A life lived not for love, but for personal gain, isn’t necessarily a bad one.

But Ah Yao was different. Having seen her mother’s cautionary tale, she placed particular importance on a man’s true heart and devotion.

Chen Shujing’s actions were tantamount to tearing out Ah Yao’s heart.

If she were to persuade Ah Yao to stay with the Chen Family, Ah Yao would never be happy, no matter how much inexhaustible wealth and glory she had.

It was just like herself in her past life. She had secured the position of Princess Consort Chen and was envied by countless people, but she still met an end filled with deep-seated sorrow.

Even if she hadn’t been abducted, she wouldn’t have been able to live the rest of her life in peace.

Mei Wanying had experienced just how agonizing that feeling was, so of course she would never advise her friend to simply endure it.

As long as one can bear the consequences, there is no need to hesitate.

If you can live through the good times, you can live through the bad.

As long as your heart is at peace, you can live without regrets!

Chen Shujing muttered to himself, "But I don’t want a divorce."

’Not in the slightest!’

Mei Wanying said, "I’m sure Ah Yao gave you a chance. Your presence here in Jiangnan shows you’ve already made your choice."

"Heir Chen, you must take responsibility for that choice."

"Stop holding Ah Yao captive. In doing so, you tarnish your so-called ’deep feelings’ for Miss Shen and revolt the very person who is supposed to be yours!"