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

Mei Wanying asked Pei Yan, "Do you know what I’m wiping off?"

Pei Yan couldn’t be bothered with that.

All he knew was that Mei Wanying was wiping his face with her own hands.

With her own hands!

An overwhelming wave of happiness crashed over him. The man’s head swam, and he felt as if he were about to drown in it.

This all felt like a dream.

Pei Yan actively nuzzled against the handkerchief in Mei Wanying’s hand. It was saturated with her scent, mingled with a hint of milk.

His Ah Yin still needed to nurse their child, so this was her scent, too.

Pei Yan found it intoxicating.

If he weren’t afraid of startling Mei Wanying, he would have done as Ling did and moved closer to the source of the fragrance.

This cold, frosty man actually had a childish side to him.

Pei Yan kept nuzzling her palm.

Just like Ling had done not long ago when, not wanting to smell the medicine, she had burrowed into her arms.

The man’s stubble scraped against her palm, sending a tingling sensation through it.

Mei Wanying’s fingers curled. "On your face... that’s Ling’s drool."

The man’s expression froze, and he stopped nuzzling Mei Wanying’s palm.

Mei Wanying was satisfied.

She let out a subtle breath, trying to dispel the strange feeling spreading from her palm, but it didn’t work.

Mei Wanying decided to leave.

After all, Pei Yan was awake and seemed to be out of mortal danger. All he needed was quiet rest.

Besides, she didn’t know what kind of attitude to adopt toward the Pei Yan before her now.

Unlike in her last life, this time Pei Yan had risked his life to save her.

And it wasn’t this Pei Yan who had left her to fend for herself in the rear courtyards.

’Our entanglement runs too deep,’ Mei Wanying thought. ’Pei Yan hurt me, but he also protected me. It’s impossible to clearly say who was right and who was wrong.’

’I don’t want to dwell on it anymore.’

’Since Pei Yan saved me this time, we can consider all past grievances settled.’

’He’s not that utterly vile man anymore.’

"Rest and recover well."

Mei Wanying’s tone was gentle, not as cold as before.

Pei Yan was still holding her soft wrist, unwilling to let go. "Ah Yin, I feel like I’m dreaming."

Ah Yin was being so good to him. This was what he had prayed for, but now that it was happening, he felt uneasy.

He kept feeling like it was all an illusion—a flower in the mirror or the moon in the water—that would shatter with a single gust of wind.

Mei Wanying complained, "If you don’t let go, I won’t be able to hold Ling."

Only then did Pei Yan notice his babbling, drooling daughter.

The little one’s eyes were sparkling as she waved her little hands, looking as if she were about to leap out of Mei Wanying’s arms.

Pei Yan had long since experienced just how active and lively Ling could be.

He instinctively tried to take his daughter so Mei Wanying wouldn’t be burdened, but the moment he moved, Mei Wanying pushed him back down onto the daybed.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Mei Wanying glared at the man, her almond-shaped eyes filled with displeasure. "If you’re looking to die, then leave the Mei family first. That way your mother won’t come blaming us. We can’t take that responsibility."

Her words may have been harsh, but to Pei Yan’s ears, they sounded incredibly sweet.

’Ah Yin is worried about me.’

’Her words are sharp, but her heart is soft!’

"I’m fine."

Mei Wanying was angered by his bravado. ’He was unconscious, and he still says he’s fine?’

She said, "The Mei family is a humble one. If Your Highness won’t follow instructions, then you’d best leave as soon as possible."

He had only just managed to move into the old residence; how could Pei Yan possibly leave?

He wasn’t an idiot!

Seeing that Ling was being quite a handful, he found that every time he wanted to speak to Mei Wanying, the little one would interject with her babbling.

She was also waving her little hands and kicking about nonstop.

Pei Yan had no choice but to release Mei Wanying’s hand so she could hold their daughter with both arms.

He didn’t know where such a tiny person got all her energy. As long as she was around, the adults couldn’t hope to have a proper conversation.

Pei Yan doted on Ling. She was Mei Wanying’s gold lump, the most adorable child in the whole world.

But at this moment, he just wanted to be with Mei Wanying and didn’t want his daughter ruining their private time together.

Pei Yan wanted to order Ding Xiang to take Ling to Mrs. Mei, but he was afraid that if his daughter left, Mei Wanying would leave with her.

He was just greedy, wanting Ah Yin to stay by his side forever.

In the end, he had to take a step back.

His gaze swept to the inner side of the daybed, where there was still a large empty space. "Lingling is sleepy. Let her sleep here." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

’As long as Ling is here, Ah Yin won’t leave,’ Pei Yan thought.

Mei Wanying glanced at her daughter. Perhaps because she hadn’t slept well recently, the little one who had just been so lively was now slumped over her shoulder, looking drowsy.

They had been separated for too long this time. Ling felt insecure, afraid that she would wake up from a nap to find her mother gone again.

Her eyelids were clearly drooping with sleep, but she fought to keep them open.

Only when she saw Mei Wanying did she relax.

After this happened a few times, she finally couldn’t hold on any longer and drifted off into a daze.

Seeing his daughter like this, not only did Mei Wanying’s heart ache terribly, but even Pei Yan felt he was less than human.

Just a moment ago, he had actually wanted to send Ling away so he could be alone with Ah Yin.

Pei Yan felt a pang of guilt.

"Ah Yin, let’s stay with Lingling together, alright?"

The man’s eyes were filled with anticipation, mingled with a hint of pleading.

Pei Yan felt uncertain.

He was afraid Mei Wanying would reject him without hesitation.

But the woman before him nodded. She said, "Let’s let Ling sleep soundly. Otherwise, if we move her outside, she might wake up startled."

On the way here, Ding Xiang had told her about Ling’s recent state, saying she refused the wet nurse’s milk and would only drink a little cow’s milk each day.

She also said that Ling would often wake up startled in the middle of the night and cry inconsolably.

She wasn’t lively during the day either, just staring blankly toward the door.

She would even gesture with her little hands, wanting to go out and find her mother.

Seeing that her daughter had lost weight, Mei Wanying knew that Ding Xiang had been telling the truth, without any exaggeration.

As a mother, she couldn’t help but feel her heart ache.

Mei Wanying told herself that from now on, she would take Ling with her no matter where she went.

They, mother and daughter, would never be separated again.

Ling felt insecure, and her sleep was fitful.

She would whimper from time to time, her voice tinged with tears, her little mouth pouting. It was the very picture of misery.

Mei Wanying thought that if both she and Pei Yan stayed by her side, perhaps Ling would recover more quickly.

Pei Yan didn’t know what Mei Wanying was thinking. As long as his wife and daughter were by his side, he was happy!

He pushed his body up, trying to scoot over.

But he was met with another low curse from Mei Wanying. "Can’t you just behave? Ling is less trouble than you!"

"You’ve suffered such a serious injury, even damaging the bone. Are you moving around because you want a permanent ailment so you can freeload at our house forever?"

Pei Yan’s eyes lit up.

’Is that an option?’

He lowered his gaze to look at his bandaged arm, only to hear Mei Wanying say in a chilly tone, "If you dare cause me any trouble, you can get lost."

Pei Yan dismissed the thought.

He said guiltily, "I wasn’t moving recklessly. I just wanted to make some room for you two. I’m being very careful not to aggravate the wound."

Ling is so little; she was truly frightened this time.

As the child’s father and mother, Pei Yan felt they should sleep beside her.

To help her resolve her "emotional knot."

Stared down by Mei Wanying’s icy gaze, Pei Yan’s voice grew even quieter. "If you hold Lingling while you both sleep, she’ll feel more secure."

Mei Wanying shot the man a glare. "You wish."

’As if I’m crazy enough to sleep in the same bed as Pei Yan.’

’Not even with Ling between us! No way!’