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

The affair between Chen Shujing and Shen Mingxiao was not widely publicized, for the sake of their reputations.

To outsiders, Chen Shujing and Shen Mingxiao had a platonic friendship, built on a mutual admiration of their talents.

But Madam Chen was Chen Shujing’s own mother. How could she not know why her son was so invested in the Shen family’s affairs?

Hearing her son, she instantly understood. "Are you still brooding over the matter with Miss Shen?"

Shen Mingxiao was talented and beautiful, and very mature for her young age. Despite her difficult circumstances, she never complained or blamed others. She did her utmost to protect herself and Shen Mingji.

Madam Chen had a certain admiration for such a young woman.

Compared to the types who just cried and passively accepted their fate, Shen Mingxiao was countless times stronger.

A pity her fortune was thin, and she passed away so early.

Madam Chen said irritably, "Holding a grudge against someone who died of illness—doesn’t she have any shame!"

"What man from any other family doesn’t have a few wives and concubines? What does your business with Shen Mingxiao even matter?"

"You’ve done so much for her, yet she doesn’t see any of it. She’s truly ungrateful!"

"And to think I used to believe she was a good girl. When the Xue Family met with disaster, I pitied her. I never said a harsh word to her, let alone advised you to divorce her."

"With such a petty mindset, how could she ever be the Main Wife of the family?"

"It’s for the best that you’re divorced!"

Madam Chen felt utterly stifled.

She had initially lamented the state of their marriage, feeling that with the Xue Family’s misfortune, Xue Xingyao had been innocently implicated.

Now, however, she felt that Xue Xingyao had inherited her own father’s foolishness.

There’s more to life than just romance.

She was just too narrow-minded.

It was a good thing Xue Xingyao hadn’t had any children. Otherwise, with a mother so incapable of seeing the bigger picture, the child would have been terribly unlucky.

A child could have been born into a renowned noble family and respected by all. But because of Xue Xingyao’s tantrum, it would now be born into the house of a criminal.

That was the difference between the clouds and the mud!

Xue Xingyao acted for a moment’s satisfaction, but did she do right by herself?

Did she do right by her future children and grandchildren?

Madam Chen continued, "She’s simply arrogant because she’s spoiled. It’s only because you treat her so well that she dares to act so recklessly. Just wait until you take a new wife—we’ll see if she regrets it then!"

Chen Shujing frowned. "Mother, I won’t marry anyone else."

Madam Chen’s expression turned strange. "You can’t possibly be thinking of letting her come back, are you?"

Chen Shujing didn’t deny it. "An original wife is always the best."

He had never thought of marrying anyone else.

Never!

He also firmly believed that he and Xue Xingyao would reconcile.

First, Xue Xingyao had romantic feelings for him.

Second, the Chen Family was a noble family and could give her everything she wanted.

No matter how one looked at it, returning to the Chen Family was her best option.

This was what reason told Chen Shujing, but a voice in the depths of his heart told him that Xue Xingyao had a fiery personality; she would rather suffer hardship and might not come back at all.

She wasn’t like other women.

Chen Shujing grew increasingly uneasy. He felt an urgent need to go to Jiangnan and bring Xue Xingyao back.

He would take care of the people she cared about.

She only needed to be the Chen Family’s Heir’s wife, manage the inner household, and continue the family line.

"Mother, I have to go out for something urgent," Chen Shujing said, turning to leave.

"You stop right there!"

Madam Chen grew angry. "You’ve just divorced, and you’re already eagerly running after her. Aren’t you afraid of embarrassing the Chen Family!"

"She is the descendant of a criminal. For the Chen Family not to have cast her out was already the height of benevolence."

"She’s the one who insisted on the divorce, so she should never return to the Chen Family!"

Chen Shujing also felt he had lost face. He was clearly the one who had wanted to teach Xue Xingyao a lesson, but in the end, he was also the one to yield first.

But he was a man; there was nothing wrong with being the one to yield. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Besides, he had been in the wrong regarding their previous issues.

"Mother, she lost a child for me. And it’s not as if she didn’t suffer while in the Chen Family. She chose to divorce because I pushed her too far."

Chen Shujing didn’t deny his mistakes. "I made a mistake, so I should bear the consequences."

"What mistake did you make? For her family’s sake, how many people did you beg!"

"I am the Xue Family’s son-in-law. It was what I was supposed to do."

Besides, he had later withdrawn his men. The credit for Mrs. Xue and the others surviving did not belong to him.

Madam Chen felt unbearably stifled. How had she given birth to such a soft-hearted son?

"Ah Jing, you’re truly muddle-headed. For a woman like that who can’t see the bigger picture, you’d even disregard the Chen Family’s reputation?"

Not wanting to hear his mother speak ill of Xue Xingyao anymore, Chen Shujing started to walk away.

"After I’ve taken care of things, I will return to apologize. It’s all my fault. Don’t you give Ah Yao a hard time."

Madam Chen knew her son’s character perfectly well.

Even with Shen Mingxiao gone, he still did everything in his power to help Shen Mingji.

Now that he felt indebted to Xue Xingyao, he would definitely compromise again and again, endlessly accommodating her.

Madam Chen didn’t want her son to be so subservient, nor did she want Xue Xingyao to come back.

A divorce meant a clean break. He should know that spilled water cannot be retrieved.

Breaking up and getting back together, treating marriage like a child’s game!

Madam Chen pressed her temples and gave a meaningful look to the matron who served her personally.

Then, she "fainted."

"Madam! What’s wrong?" the matron cried out. "Quickly, go get a doctor!"

Chen Shujing hadn’t even left the main courtyard when he heard the commotion and hurried back.

A vein throbbed on his forehead. He felt his mother was forcing his hand, but bound by filial piety, he couldn’t pretend he hadn’t heard anything.

Madam Chen was carried into an inner room, and the doctor arrived quickly.

Chen Shujing thought the farce would end quickly, but Madam Chen was diagnosed with a deficiency of the heart and spleen, brought on by long-term emotional strain.

This was caused by the long-term depletion of one’s vital energy.

Due to excessive worry, she also suffered from headaches and dizziness.

The doctor instructed that Madam Chen must rest quietly and could no longer worry about trivial matters.

In the past, Madam Chen wouldn’t have wanted to worry her children, so even if she were in pain, she wouldn’t have made a big fuss about it.

But now, she felt she had no other choice; she couldn’t just let her son act so recklessly.

Madam Chen leaned against the headboard as Chen Shujing personally fed her the medicine.

Madam Chen refused to drink it.

"If I die, no one will be left to obstruct your fine plans. Why are you even bothering with me? Just let me die, so I won’t be an eyesore to you two."

Chen Shujing was exasperated. "Why are you talking about death? You haven’t even held a grandchild yet. How could you be willing to let go and leave?"

The matter of heirs was a serious one. Madam Chen seized the opportunity to make her demand. "Once you’ve married a new wife and she’s given you a child, I’ll stop meddling in your affairs."

"Impossible!" Chen Shujing rejected the idea without hesitation.

He had already wronged Xue Xingyao. If he married someone else, how could he ever have the face to go and find her?

Chen Shujing said helplessly, "Please, just focus on getting well. Don’t cause more trouble for me."

Madam Chen sneered, "Who’s the one causing trouble for whom? I will never allow Xue Xingyao to set foot in the Chen Family again!"

Overly agitated, Madam Chen’s headache genuinely returned.

It felt like needles were stabbing the inside of her skull. The pain was so intense that Madam Chen couldn’t sit up and had to lie back down on the daybed.

The matron tried to persuade him earnestly, "Young Master, please don’t make the Madam worry. It was that woman from the Xue Family who wanted the divorce; it wasn’t our Chen Family that drove her away. If she wants to come back, she’ll find a way to send you a message. Why must you chase her to Jiangnan and debase yourself!"

Chen Shujing wasn’t afraid of losing face, but with his mother gravely ill, he couldn’t just act on his own whims.

’I’ll wait. I’ll go to Jiangnan after Mother recovers.’

’This will also give Ah Yao more time to figure out what’s most important.’