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

Regarding Mei Wanying’s assessment, Pei Yan put on a proud air. "Whatever you say, goes. I’ll listen to you."

’So what if I’m a stubborn mule?’

’Besides, Ling is pretty stubborn too. With her in the family, this father and daughter pair will have something in common.’

Thinking of his daughter, the look in Pei Yan’s eyes softened.

’Ling is cute even when she’s being stubborn. No wonder Ah Yin treasures her so much.’

’As the saying goes, when you love someone, you love everything about them,’ the man thought. ’Ah Yin’s love for Ling is just another way of loving me.’

’The more she dotes on our daughter, the higher my own status will become.’

’I’ll rise in status because of my daughter!’

Mei Wanying said, "Then take me with you."

Pei Yan refused without a moment’s hesitation. "No."

Mei Wanying was not the least bit surprised by this.

She scoffed, a look of ’I knew it’ in her eyes. "You’re full of nothing but empty words. If you can’t do it, why make it sound so good in the first place?"

’One second he says he’ll listen to me, and the next he’s rejecting my suggestion.’

’Isn’t that just a classic case of contradicting himself?’

’And he doesn’t even have the decency to look embarrassed. He’s completely shameless. His skin is as thick as a city wall.’

’Not a single true word comes out of that man’s mouth. Good thing I didn’t fall for his "sweet nothings"!’

Pei Yan cleared his throat, feeling a pang of guilt. "I’ll listen to you... on everything except this."

Mei Wanying’s expression was blank as she said, "Go back to the Capital City, and never appear before me again."

Pei Yan: "..."

’How is that possible!’

’My wife and daughter are here. If I go back to the Capital City by myself, won’t I be all alone?’

The man’s voice was weak. "That has to be an exception, too..."

’Ah Yin hasn’t forgiven me yet. If I just up and leave, her resolve to leave me for good will be even stronger the next time I return.’

’And Ling will forget me. She won’t recognize me as her father anymore.’

’I can’t let that happen.’

Seeing the man’s guilt-ridden face, Mei Wanying really wanted to scratch him.

"This is a no, that’s a no... You’re only happy when everyone is following your orders."

"If that’s the case, why bother putting on an act? In the end, it’s always your word that’s final."

Pei Yan explained, "I’m just afraid you’ll get hurt."

Mei Wanying retorted, "Then you shouldn’t have come to Jiangnan!"

’If Pei Yan hadn’t come to bother me, I wouldn’t have all this trouble.’

’I might have already found a husband to marry into the family. The only things I’d need to worry about would be managing the family business and social obligations.’

’Not like now, where I have to worry about my entire family’s lives.’

Pei Yan held immense power. Wherever he went, the people around him were thrust into the eye of the storm, attracting unwanted attention.

’If I wanted power and influence, then this would be the price I’d have to pay.’

’But I don’t want it!’

The hall fell silent. Pei Yan looked dejected, not knowing how to refute Mei Wanying’s words.

’Everything she said was the truth.’

’But being forced to stay away from Ah Yin completely... that would be a death sentence.’

’The only thing I can do is protect her—and the people she cares about—with everything I have.’

Mrs. Mei gave a soft cough and stepped forward to smooth things over.

’Pei Yan is the Crown Prince, after all. The only reason Ah Yin can be so disrespectful is because she’s confident in his affection for her.’

’But she can’t go too far.’

"Ah Yin, His Highness is only trying to protect you. If malicious people want to cause us trouble, that is their fault. We should deal with one thing at a time and not conflate the two."

’If we’re really going to assign blame, it was the General who brought Pei Yan home in the first place, which led to everything that followed.’

’Dredging all that up is pointless. Solving the problem at hand is what matters.’

Then she turned to Pei Yan and said, "Ah Yin is scared. She’s afraid Ling and I will get hurt. She won’t be able to rest easy until that traitor is dead and gone."

"She’s anxious, so her words are barbed. Your Highness, please don’t take it to heart."

Pei Yan shook his head. "Ah Yin is right. I’m the one who brought this trouble."

A sharp glint flashed in the man’s eyes. ’From now on, if anyone even thinks of targeting Ah Yin, I’ll snuff out the idea at the first sign.’

’A situation like this must never happen again!’

Mei Wanying also knew she had crossed a line. Pei Yan was a member of the Royal Family, after all. ’Didn’t I only dare to say those things because I was sure he wouldn’t hold it against me?’

She bit her lip, a hint of remorse showing on her face.

Her attitude softened. "I cherish my life too. I won’t act rashly."

Mrs. Mei countered, "Making this request is acting rashly!"

’I would rather die myself than let my daughter take such a risk! This is the child I brought into the world through so much hardship—she is my life!’

Mei Wanying glanced at Pei Yan and said, "I trust His Highness."

’He can take an enemy general’s head from amidst a thousand soldiers and ten thousand horses. Surely he can protect my life.’

Pei Yan couldn’t make up his mind, ultimately because he cared too much about Mei Wanying.

’He couldn’t accept her suffering even the slightest harm.’

’Caring too much had tied his hands.’

Seeing that Pei Yan didn’t immediately object, Mei Wanying pressed, "I’ll stick to you like glue. That should be fine, right?"

Pei Yan asked in return, "Really?"

Mei Wanying: "Really."

’If something happened to Pei Yan, then whether I left the city or not, there would be no good ending for me.’

"You’re the one Pei Yu hates the most. If anyone’s going to die, it’ll be you first."

Pei Yan: "..."

Mei Wanying continued, "If we run into danger, I’ll definitely play for time with the villain, directing him to kill you so I can find a chance to survive."

Pei Yan: "..."

’It was a good thing she was thinking this way, but Pei Yan still felt a pang in his heart.’

To make it worse, Mei Wanying looked completely serious. She really meant it; she wasn’t just saying it to twist the knife.

Pei Yan looked aggrieved. ’Does Ah Yin really not care about me anymore?’

’I’m her husband!’

’I’m Lingling’s father!’

’If she dares not to care, I’ll...’

’I’ll what?’ Pei Yan couldn’t think of anything. These days, he no longer dared to force Ah Yin’s hand.

Mrs. Mei shot Mei Wanying a reproachful look. ’This child is spouting nonsense again.’

’Why does she become so irrational whenever she’s with Pei Yan?’

’She’s not usually like this.’

Just as she was about to say something, Pei Yan spoke first. He told Mei Wanying earnestly, "No matter what danger you face, don’t give up easily. As long as I’m alive, I will save you."

He said, "There’s a solution to every predicament. Even if it seems like a dead end, I need you to hold on."

Pei Yan’s expression was more serious than she had ever seen it.

Mei Wanying’s heart trembled. For some reason, she felt there was a hidden meaning in his words.

"I won’t give up."

’I’ve died once before. I cherish my life dearly now and won’t give it up so easily.’

’I have my mother, Ling, and my friends...’

’If something happened to me, my loved ones would be the ones to suffer.’

Mei Wanying couldn’t help but wonder about her previous life. ’When Mother received the news of my fate back then, I don’t know if she could have borne it.’

She looked at Mrs. Mei apologetically. "Mother, I’ve made you worry again."

Mrs. Mei murmured to herself, "This temper of yours is exactly like your father’s. Afraid of nothing, and once you’ve made up your mind, not even ten bulls could drag you back. You call His Highness a stubborn mule, but aren’t you one yourself?"

’Mrs. Mei had always considered herself a timid person. From the day she married the General, she was constantly on edge for him.’

’After she had a daughter, she was always afraid her child would be harmed.’

’She was always cautious, weighing every pro and con, wanting only for her daughter to be well.’

’But the older Wanying grew, the more her temper resembled her father’s.’

’Don’t be fooled by her appearance as a delicate woman—she’s all nerve and fears nothing!’

Mrs. Mei entrusted her to Pei Yan. "Your Highness, I beg you, please protect Ah Yin and keep her safe. Ling is still so young; she can’t be without Ah Yin."