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

Pei Yan could see Mei Wanying’s nervousness and unease. He couldn’t bear the thought of her being on edge, unable to sleep at night.

With him there to watch over her, Ah Yin could at least get a full night’s sleep.

Pei Yan offered her a calming pill. "Don’t worry, I will not cross any lines."

Mei Wanying scoffed, "You dare!"

Her almond eyes flew wide, shooting daggers at Pei Yan.

A flicker of amusement crossed the man’s deep eyes. For some reason, he felt a sense of comfort every time Ah Yin cursed him.

He even wanted her to scold him a few more times.

Mei Wanying was polite but distant with outsiders, which made Pei Yan firmly believe that her cursing him meant he held a place in her heart.

He was special to her.

Seeing the man’s faint, teasing smile, Mei Wanying repeated angrily, "You dare!"

If this were the old Pei Yan, her words would have driven him to do something foolish for the sake of his damned pride.

Just to show Mei Wanying that there was nothing he wouldn’t dare to do.

Now, he truly didn’t dare.

If he angered her, the next time he wanted to get into the house, he’d have to climb the wall and then the window.

He was Ah Yin’s man, not some shameful thing that couldn’t be seen in public. He wouldn’t stoop to that.

Pei Yan’s lips curved, his eyes filled with delight. "If you don’t give the word, I certainly wouldn’t dare."

He was a normal man, and he and Ah Yin had already been intimate.

Every time he saw Ah Yin, he couldn’t control his desire.

But unless Ah Yin gave her approval, he wouldn’t dare act recklessly.

Just being this close to her was a blessing from the heavens.

’Don’t be greedy,’ Pei Yan told himself. ’Compared to my last life, I’m already very fortunate.’

Mei Wanying lowered her eyes, not responding, as if contemplating whether she should let him stay.

Pei Yan was certain. No matter how much she despised him, for Ling’s safety, Mei Wanying would allow him to stay.

She was loyal and fiercely protective of her own. For Xue Xingyao’s sake, she had even written a letter to "beg" him.

Now that the Useless Crown Prince was lurking in the shadows and could potentially harm their daughter, how could Ah Yin possibly push him away?

She’d probably be more than happy to use him as a human shield.

The corners of Pei Yan’s mouth curved up again. ’It’s my honor to be needed by Ah Yin.’

Mei Wanying didn’t speak, and neither did Pei Yan. He gently rocked his daughter’s cradle while stealing infatuated glances at Mei Wanying from the corner of his eye.

The stunningly beautiful woman sat by the window, deliberately putting distance between them.

As evening fell, a row of lanterns was lit under the eaves, and candles were lit inside the room.

Mei Wanying’s eyesight was poor. If they didn’t light a few more lamps, she might bump into things.

The dim yellow light enveloped her, making her so breathtakingly beautiful she looked like a fairy who had descended to the mortal world.

Ling lay in the cradle, over which a thin gauze was draped to keep away mosquitoes, conveniently dimming the bright light.

Pei Yan rocked the cradle and saw his daughter rub her eyes, then her nose. He knew she was getting sleepy.

He quietly asked Mei Wanying, "Is it time to feed Lingling?"

Mei Wanying was pulled from her thoughts. She glared at the man. "Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t be asking!"

’Their relationship wasn’t that intimate. How could he have the nerve to mention something like breastfeeding? So shameless!’

The tips of Pei Yan’s ears turned red. ’We were intimate; that’s how we have Ling. What’s wrong with me asking?’

Mei Wanying carried the baby into the inner chamber and laid down three rules for Pei Yan. "You are not to cross that beaded curtain, and don’t come near me unless it’s necessary."

After a pause, she added another very important point, "You are just a guard I’ve arranged for Ling. Remember your station!"

To be demoted from Mei Wanying’s husband and Mei Ling’s father to a disposable guard in an instant, Pei Yan felt terribly wronged.

"I’m not a guard, I’m Lingling’s father," Pei Yan defended his status.

’And Mei Wanying’s husband!’ he silently added. ’We were married in both lifetimes. Ah Yin is just being difficult now, refusing to acknowledge my status as the Mei family’s son-in-law. But it doesn’t matter. Everyone else acknowledges it, even if she doesn’t. We bowed to heaven and earth that day; all those people were witnesses.’

Mei Wanying turned her head to look. A blurry figure stood right up against the beaded curtain.

If she hadn’t spoken up in time, Pei Yan might have entered the inner chamber.

He still dared to talk back. Mei Wanying said coldly, "If it weren’t for you, the Useless Crown Prince wouldn’t be targeting us. Don’t think you’re helping me. You’re atoning for your own sins. Protecting Lingling is your responsibility too!"

Mei Wanying wouldn’t thank Pei Yan for this. It was what he was supposed to do.

His protecting them only proved he had a tiny shred of conscience left.

Beyond that, it proved nothing.

When it came to this matter, Pei Yan knew he was in the wrong.

He never wanted to put Ah Yin in danger, but he was always the one who brought it to her.

He sighed silently and said in a muffled voice, "Fine. I’m a guard."

In the entire world, Mei Wanying was the only one who dared to treat him this way.

And yet, he found it sweet.

The person in the inner chamber fell silent. Pei Yan could only hear the sound of his daughter nursing.

He glanced back at Ling’s cradle and asked Mei Wanying, "Should I bring it in?"

To prove his good intentions, Pei Yan added, "I’ll keep my eyes closed. I won’t look at anything else."

He had once accidentally walked in on Ah Yin breastfeeding and made her cry in anger.

’I didn’t close my eyes then. If I close them this time, it shouldn’t anger Ah Yin, right?’ 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Mei Wanying was so angry she ground her teeth. Not wanting to speak with Pei Yan, she simply ignored his words.

She also let down the bed curtains to prevent him from suddenly barging in.

Without permission from the person inside, Pei Yan didn’t dare enter the inner chamber. He stood outside the beaded curtain for a long time.

Only when one of the breathing patterns became slow and steady did he pace over to the window and sit down on the soft couch where Mei Wanying had sat.

The hour was still early, and Pei Yan was not sleepy.

Usually at this hour, he would still be in his study handling official business.

But today, he didn’t want to leave.

He was afraid that if he left, Mei Wanying would have to force herself to stay awake and watch over Ling.

She was a lady raised in comfort; she shouldn’t have to endure such hardship.

Although she was annoyed by Pei Yan and didn’t want him hanging around, Mei Wanying had to admit, ’With him keeping watch in the outer room, I feel at peace.’

It was like that time in her past life at the Border, when her pregnancy had become unstable and she stayed in Pei Yan’s large tent to rest and recover.

Listening to the faint sounds of him handling his duties in the outer section of the tent, she felt afraid of nothing.

Mei Wanying turned over, gently patting her daughter’s little body, and for a rare moment, she relaxed.

A thought popped into her head. ’The Pei Yan of this life seems different from the one in my last.’

In her past life, she had woken up in the middle of the night to see Pei Yan sitting by the couch. Before she could even feel happy, he had berated her mercilessly.

He said she was a restless sleeper, a grown woman who still kicked off her blankets.

He also said she wasn’t taking good care of herself and the child, and that she was trying to make him feel guilty.

After scolding her, he left in a hurry, giving her no chance to speak.

In short, the Pei Yan of her past life had never shown her a kind face. Not once, right up until her death, had she managed to make him compromise.

’This life is truly different.’

As she drifted off to sleep, Mei Wanying thought drowsily, ’Pei Yan is such a glutton for punishment. I distanced myself from him, and in return, I got everything I once wanted. If only he had been like this from the start...’

Before she could finish the thought, Mei Wanying drifted off into a deep sleep.

These past few days, she had been a light sleeper, waking at the slightest noise.

She had to feed Ling at night and manage all the household affairs, big and small, during the day.

She was truly exhausted.