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

Pei Yan was a scoundrel, but he had never dared to go too far before. Mei Wanying had been deceived by his facade, forgetting he was a dangerous man.

Her lips and tongue were numb, a stark reminder of what had just happened.

Out of habit, Mei Wanying wanted to raise her hand to slap him.

’This man is a lecher!’

’Shameless!’

But when she saw the panic and pleading in his eyes, her hand froze.

Mei Wanying’s mind was a mess, and she couldn’t sort out her thoughts. Because of Pei Yan’s injuries, she didn’t push him away immediately.

To him, this was a sign that Mei Wanying was accepting him.

Ecstasy and excitement swept through him.

The man’s expression turned strange, as if he were about to laugh and cry. "Ah Yin, I’ll change anything you don’t like about me. Just don’t leave me again."

"What do you want? As long as we’re not separated, I’ll agree to anything."

"We’ll raise Lingling together and live a good life. When she grows up, I’ll give our daughter the best of everything."

When Pei Yan was out and about, he was cold and distant. Only when he was with Mei Wanying did he talk so much.

He rambled on, a bright light flickering in his deep, dark eyes.

Even without that dream, Ah Yin and Lingling were the most important people in the world to him.

’Power, glory... they can share it all!’

The sweet, soft taste still lingered on the tip of his tongue. Pei Yan’s heart was pounding, and his ears burned crimson.

He drew near again, wanting to sample those soft, cherry-colored lips once more.

Pei Yan admitted he was greedy. It was never enough.

’He and Ah Yin had missed out on so much. He would make up for it, bit by bit.’

The man leaned in again, but this time, Mei Wanying didn’t give him the chance.

She leaned back and asked through gritted teeth, "Have you lost your mind again?"

’Who wants to live a good life with him?’

’The man must be delirious!’

Her fair hand held his chin, preventing him from getting any closer.

His deep eyes stared at her unblinkingly, his voice husky. "Ah Yin, I am already your man."

His gaze and his voice were both tinged with desire.

Under Mei Wanying’s cold stare, Pei Yan cleared his throat. "When someone saves your life, you’re supposed to offer yourself to them in return. You saved me, so I’m yours."

From Pei Yan’s perspective, Mei Wanying had risked her life to help him eliminate a grave threat. It wasn’t he who had saved her, but she who had saved him.

’So he should offer himself to her, serve her, and repay her!’

This was a classic case of a forced sale. Whether Mei Wanying wanted him or not, he was her man now.

Mei Wanying glared at Pei Yan. ’This man could really twist the truth; he could argue that black was white.’

’He was willing to give himself to her, but she wasn’t willing to accept!’

She said sarcastically, "Why don’t you offer to work for me like an animal, Pei Yan? Is *this* your sincerity?"

"That works," Pei Yan nodded without hesitation.

Mei Wanying was left speechless. Before she could think of a comeback, she heard Pei Yan say, "Ah Yin, I’ll be at your beck and call, day and night."

The look in his eyes was anything but innocent. When his gaze swept across her lips, his Adam’s apple bobbed.

Even if Mei Wanying was being dense, she still understood his hidden meaning.

Her face instantly flushed, and she cursed under her breath, "Lecher!"

’He was better off when he was acting like a mute!’

Without a second thought for his injuries, Mei Wanying shoved him away.

She scrambled to her feet and backed away a few steps. Then, with a look of disgust, she took out a handkerchief and forcefully wiped her lips.

She scrubbed so hard that her already delicate, alluring lips grew even redder.

Still, the feeling of their kiss lingered, impossible to wipe away.

The Mei Wanying of the past had been very bold, always finding new ways to get close to Pei Yan.

But across two lifetimes, the times they had been intimate were few and far between.

Mei Wanying’s face burned even hotter. She didn’t need a mirror to imagine how red she must be.

’Lecher!’ she cursed inwardly again. ’So shameless!’

She warned Pei Yan, "If you don’t start behaving, get out of my house immediately!"

Her tone had softened, but she still rejected his advances. Pei Yan didn’t feel disheartened.

’Ah Yin didn’t even hit me this time. That’s huge progress.’

’I just need to be a little more patient. Once Ah Yin sees how useful I am, she’ll naturally agree to let me give myself to her.’

Clutching his wound, Pei Yan carefully lay back down on the couch. The exertion had made his face look even paler.

"He’s just putting on an act," Mei Wanying muttered.

’She’d never seen such a restless patient. It was a miracle from the heavens that Pei Yan had survived this long!’

Pei Yan didn’t hit back when struck or argue back when scolded, looking for all the world like a meek, browbeaten wife.

This earned him several more daggers from her eyes.

Seeing that he was lying down properly, Mei Wanying returned to the side of the couch to check if his wound had torn open.

Back when Pei Yan moved into the old residence, he used the excuse of protecting her and Ling.

’Now that the Useless Crown Prince is dead, the threat has been eliminated. Once Pei Yan gets better, I’m kicking him out!’

She checked his wound, and seeing no blood, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don’t let it happen again," she said in a low voice.

A smile touched Pei Yan’s lips. "Ah Yin, you do care about me after all."

He had seen how Ah Yin looked when she loved him.

’He was certain of it. Ah Yin cared about him!’

Mei Wanying’s expression turned cold, and she refused to waste another word on him.

The two of them had made quite a commotion, but surprisingly, Ling hadn’t been startled awake.

She slept until the sun went down.

When she woke up and saw Pei Yan and Mei Wanying, Ling couldn’t have been happier. She didn’t cry, but just kept smiling widely.

Pei Yan took the opportunity to mutter, "Lingling wants to be with her Daddy and Mommy."

When Mei Wanying remained unmoved and began washing her daughter’s face and dressing her, it was clear she intended to take Ling away.

Pei Yan took a deep breath. "I can go without an official title for now. If you ever get tired of me, you can throw me out whenever you want."

’Ah Yin throwing me out is her business,’ he added silently.

’I’m shameless enough to just stick around and refuse to leave.’

’If it comes to it, I’ll just move into the house across the street for a few days. When she’s not sick of me anymore, I’ll move right back in.’

’I just have to be patient. When Lingling is older, she’ll see how pitiful I am and will naturally put in a good word for me.’

’By then, Ah Yin should be willing to give me an official title.’

The position of son-in-law to the Mei family could only be his; Pei Yan had never wavered on this point.

’As long as no other men tried to seduce Wanying, and she didn’t so much as glance at another man, I can accept having no title or status.’

’As long as I can stay by Ah Yin’s side, it’s enough.’

Thinking of this, Pei Yan added, "You don’t have to give me a title, but I want everyone to know that I’m pursuing you, and that you’re the only one for me in this life."

’That way, no other men should dare to bother Ah Yin.’

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

Pei Yan’s proposal was utterly scandalous. Mei Wanying looked at him in horror.

’This... isn’t this the equivalent of being a kept man?’

If Pei Yan were just an ordinary man abandoning his dignity to climb the social ladder, Mei Wanying could understand.

But he was the Empress’s legitimate son.

The revered Crown Prince.

’Becoming her kept man... has he lost his mind?’

Pei Yan pressed on. "I won’t force you to return to the Capital City, either. I have no objections to whatever you want to do."

Mei Wanying sneered. "Your Highness, are you planning on having one family in Jiangnan and another in the Capital City? You’ve really got it all figured out, haven’t you!"

"No official title? Then you’re a free man who can marry a wife and take concubines at any time. And where would that leave me?"

"Are you trying to make people curse my name, calling me a shameless mistress?"

Startled, Pei Yan immediately flipped over and knelt on the couch to promise her, "Besides you, there will never be another woman by my side."

’This was Ah Yin. How could he possibly let her be branded with the reputation of a mistress?’

The very thought made his chest tighten.

His large hand grasped Mei Wanying’s slender waist, not allowing her to move away. "If I ever marry, that person will be you!"