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

Mei Wanying had finally relented; how could Pei Yan possibly disagree?

’Fine, I’ll be your secret lover for now. But I refuse to believe there won’t come a day when I’m made her official husband!’

He tightened his arms, hoisting the person in his embrace a little higher. The corners of Pei Yan’s lips curled up. "Now that you’ve taken me, you can’t go back on your word."

A shiver ran down Mei Wanying’s back. She felt as though she had just walked into a tiger’s den.

She whispered, "Let me think about it again..."

"No!"

The man huffed. "You have to be true to your word, not go back on it."

Mei Wanying twisted his ear. "And how many times have you gone back on your word?"

For a moment, Pei Yan’s expression turned unnatural.

"That was in the past. We’re parents now. We have to set a good example for Lingling."

With that, the man straightened his back again.

’I’m the man who had a child with Ah Yin. Being made her official husband is just a matter of time!’

Mei Wanying glanced back at the sickbed. Ling was sleeping peacefully.

She quietly reminded Pei Yan, "Take me to the outer room. I’ll rest on the couch for a bit. If Ling wakes up and doesn’t see me, she’ll cry."

With Pei Yan around for the past two days, she didn’t have to make every decision herself, and she had managed to sneak in a few naps.

But Pei Yan was different; he hadn’t closed his eyes for a single moment.

He was still full of energy now, showing no signs of fatigue. Mei Wanying was genuinely impressed.

Held in his arms, she could feel his firm muscles, the vigorous strength coiled beneath—the foundation built from practicing martial arts since childhood.

No wonder he had such abundant energy.

Pei Yan wanted Mei Wanying to get some proper rest. "People are coming and going in here. You won’t sleep well."

Ling had to take her medicine, and the Imperial Physician would come in from time to time to check on her. The slightest noise would wake Wanying.

Pei Yan didn’t want her to be so exhausted.

Mei Wanying said, "Then I’ll go to the study. There’s a daybed there too."

To make it easier to care for her daughter, Mei Wanying had moved her study to the adjacent room, separated from the inner chamber by only a single wall.

The moment Ling cried, Mei Wanying would be able to hear it.

Pei Yan obliged her.

Mei Wanying added, "I can walk on my own. Don’t let others see this and laugh."

"Who would dare to laugh?"

The man’s voice was full of delight. "I just want to hold you."

He had dreamed of such a scene countless times, and now that it was finally happening, Pei Yan’s heart felt full to bursting.

He was overjoyed.

’I want to hold Ah Yin forever!’ 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Giving Mei Wanying no chance to refuse, he changed direction and headed for the study.

Ding Xiang and the others waiting at the door didn’t dare to lift their heads, afraid of seeing something they shouldn’t.

After that tall figure passed, Ding Xiang immediately lifted the curtain and went inside to watch over Ling.

Mei Wanying’s cheeks burned, and she was too embarrassed to look at Ding Xiang and the others.

Lifting her eyes to Pei Yan, she was met with the sight of his flawless profile—his features sharp, his looks extraordinary.

The man’s expression was unchanged, showing no sign of shyness whatsoever.

Mei Wanying pinched his arm and silently mouthed, ’Shameless! You have no shame!’

Meeting her almond-shaped eyes, which held a hint of playful reproach, the delight in Pei Yan’s heart began to ferment, spreading rapidly through his entire body.

He didn’t dare laugh out loud and could only suppress it with all his might, so much so that his chest rumbled with the effort.

And just like that, they entered the study.

The moment he set Mei Wanying down on the daybed, she started shooing him away. "Out."

As she spoke, she leaned back, as if guarding herself against him.

Pei Yan let out a low chuckle. "Ah Yin, you really do know me best."

He was a normal man. With the woman he loved in his arms, looking at him with such a coquettish gaze, it was hard for his mind not to race.

Pei Yan cradled that exquisite face, but in the end, only pressed his forehead gently against hers.

"Ah Yin, you’re already exhausted."

Before he arrived, Ah Yin had been holding on all by herself.

Ling was so little, yet she had contracted a life-threatening illness. Even he, a grown man, had felt his limbs go weak at the sight.

Let alone Ah Yin?

She was truly exhausted, and not just physically.

Pei Yan was grateful that Ling had pulled through.

Otherwise, Ah Yin surely wouldn’t have been able to withstand the blow.

Pei Yan thoughtfully covered Mei Wanying with a blanket and brushed away the stray hairs from her cheeks, his deep eyes filled with adoration.

"Get some good rest. I’m here for everything, hm?"

Perhaps it was the tenderness in his eyes, but Mei Wanying felt an inexplicable flutter in her heart and didn’t dare to meet his gaze.

She squeezed her eyes shut and hummed in agreement. "You should go watch over Ling."

Ling didn’t lack for attendants, but at times like this, having her own parents by her side would make a child feel more at ease.

Mei Wanying felt at ease with Pei Yan watching over the child.

His gaze swept over her beautiful little face, which was tinged with a faint blush, as if dusted with rouge.

Her ears were an even deeper red, as if about to bleed.

Pei Yan’s gaze passed over her, the amusement in his eyes deepening. ’Ah Yin is shy.’

She was always like this in the past, unable to look at people when she was shy.

The timing wasn’t right, so Pei Yan had to give up his thoughts of teasing her.

He tucked in the corners of the blanket for Mei Wanying again.

Having experience caring for a child, he now performed such tasks with a natural ease.

He was no longer as clumsy as he used to be.

But in the end, he couldn’t resist. Pei Yan leaned down and pecked a swift kiss on Mei Wanying’s lips.

It was as light as a dragonfly skimming water, but it was enough to stir the heart.

The man retreated, quietly instructing the attendants outside to be quiet and not disturb her rest.

Ling’s illness was contagious. The courtyard had to be fumigated with medicinal smoke every day, and the attendants had to drink preventative medicine as well.

The scent of medicine drifted into the study along with the man’s voice.

Mei Wanying opened her eyes and turned on her side to look toward the door, where slivers of light shone through the crack.

As she watched, Mei Wanying’s heart grew calm.

’The Pei Yan of today isn’t the cold, indifferent man from my past life.’

’He’s very good to Ling.’

’He would risk his life to protect them.’

Mei Wanying closed her eyes. ’Having Pei Yan around... doesn’t seem so bad after all...’

She was truly exhausted, and in just a short while, she fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Pei Yan watched over Ling while reading through confidential letters.

He would check the child’s temperature from time to time, afraid her fever would return.

Fortunately, what he feared did not happen.

The Imperial Physician said, "Emperor, the Princess’s condition has stabilized. A few more days of medicine and she will make a full recovery. Please do not worry, and do not neglect your imperial health."

’How many men out there would go to such lengths for their children?’

’The Emperor truly dotes on the Princess!’

Pei Yan grunted in acknowledgment and had the man withdraw. He would watch over Ling himself.

The room was very quiet, with only the occasional faint sound of a letter being opened. Afraid of waking his daughter, Pei Yan was careful even when turning the pages of the letters.

Ling drifted in and out of sleep, calling for her "Mama" with her eyes closed.

Pei Yan would then put down his letters and gently soothe her. Having grown accustomed to his voice, Ling was indeed calmed.

After another two hours of sleep, Ling woke up in much better spirits. She didn’t cry; instead, she smiled at Pei Yan.

She mumbled "Papa" indistinctly.

It wasn’t the first time the child had called him that, but Pei Yan was still thrilled.

’I’m Ling’s papa!’

"Hungwy..."

the little one said.

Her eyes searched around, looking for her mama.

Ling hadn’t been weaned yet. Wanying, feeling sorry for her daughter who was born prematurely, had said she would nurse her until she was two.

Besides milk, Ling could also eat a little bit of other food.

Mei Wanying was still asleep, and Pei Yan couldn’t bear to wake her.

So he tried to negotiate with his daughter. "How about Papa feeds you, okay?"

His daughter was still sick and could only eat soft, bland congee. Feeding her was something Pei Yan could also do.

Ling thought for a good while, then finally nodded and stretched out her little hands. "Hold~"

How could Pei Yan refuse any request from his daughter?

He quickly scooped the gold lump into his arms.

Just as he was about to call someone to bring in the food, he noticed the little one nuzzling against his chest.

Pei Yan froze.

’What is Lingling trying to do?!’