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

Pei Yan straightened his arms, holding his daughter away from him, and said earnestly, "I’m not your mama."

Ling nodded, her little finger pointing out the window as she mumbled something indistinctly.

It sounded like she was saying her mama was outside.

Then she pointed at Pei Yan and called out, "Dada."

She knew this wasn’t her mama...

Pei Yan didn’t know how to explain it to his daughter. She was so young, she probably wouldn’t understand anyway.

He quickly called for someone to bring food into the room.

Pei Yan said, "Dada means I’m going to feed you some rice porridge."

Ling was hungry and would eat anything, so her attention was instantly diverted.

She sat obediently in Pei Yan’s lap, her mouth open wide like a hungry baby bird waiting to be fed.

For the past two days, Ling hadn’t been able to eat or drink milk, always throwing it back up.

Now that she was eating willingly, Pei Yan was genuinely happy, a smile fixed on his lips.

’Eating is good,’ he thought. ’Once she eats, her body will start to recover.’

"Dada~"

Ling urged him on.

Pei Yan blew on the rice porridge to make sure it wouldn’t burn her, then quickly guided the spoon into the little one’s mouth.

Ling smacked her lips, swallowed quickly, and opened her mouth wide again, her appetite clearly excellent.

It was clear her condition was truly improving.

Pei Yan couldn’t help but smile.

The last time he’d visited, Ling could only drink milk. She had really grown up.

She had not only grown teeth but could also eat soft foods.

Before long, she would be able to eat the same meals as them.

In the blink of an eye, she would grow into a young lady.

Pei Yan looked forward to his daughter growing up and taking over his burdens.

Yet he also wanted his daughter to remain a carefree child.

He was terribly conflicted.

Finding him too slow, Ling reached for the spoon with her little hand and tried to bury her face in the bowl, poised to eat all by herself.

Pei Yan quickly reined in his thoughts and focused wholeheartedly on feeding his daughter.

After she finished eating, he carried her to the window to look at the scenery. Ling couldn’t be exposed to the wind, so she could only peer at the trees in the courtyard through the window lattice.

Compared to lying in bed, even looking at trees was interesting.

Ling rested quietly on her father’s shoulder without crying or making a fuss. She was being exceptionally good.

By the time Mei Wanying woke and entered the inner room, Pei Yan had already lulled the child to sleep.

By now, the sky had darkened.

Mei Wanying told Pei Yan to go have a meal and then get some sleep.

He had been awake for several days straight; she couldn’t have him collapsing just as Ling was getting better.

"I have no desire to wait on you," Mei Wanying said.

Pei Yan didn’t believe her.

He just curled his lips and said, "Oh?" He said nothing more, but his expression was as punchable as ever.

Ling’s condition was stable, so it was fine for them to leave her with a sitter for a short while.

Pei Yan took Mei Wanying’s hand. "You need to eat, too."

These past few days, she had barely eaten or slept, and her face had grown visibly thinner.

He called for Ding Xiang and instructed her not to leave Ling’s side for a moment. "Get through these next few days, and the Mistress and I will reward you handsomely."

During Ling’s illness, the servants had risked their own lives to care for her with utmost dedication.

As detached as Pei Yan might be, he could not ignore their efforts. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

He would reward everyone generously, from the highest to the lowest rank.

Even the lowest-ranking maids and servant women would receive twenty taels of silver each.

The personal maids and the doctor who attended her would receive even more generous rewards.

To Pei Yan, Mei Wanying and Ling were the most important things in the world. He would not be stingy with anyone who served them well.

Even without Pei Yan saying anything, Mei Wanying had intended to handsomely reward Ding Xiang and the others.

Everyone had played a part in helping Ling survive this ordeal.

’I must reward them all generously,’ she thought. ’Make everyone happy!’

Mei Wanying announced, "Once this matter is concluded, I will return the servitude contracts to any of you who wish to leave the Mei family. I will also give you a sum of silver."

No one is born wanting to be a servant. People took up posts in great houses to support their families.

With such a generous reward, some of the maids and servant women in the courtyard truly did consider taking the money and returning home.

Some wanted to live out their twilight years in peace.

Some wanted to go home to marry.

These were all perfectly normal desires.

Mei Wanying’s words made many faces light up with joy.

Ding Xiang was happy, too.

Although she had no intention of leaving her mistress, she was simply happy—happy for everyone else!

’We’re following a good master,’ she thought. ’We’ve met a truly kind person.’

’As long as we do our jobs well, don’t try to slack off or be deceitful, and don’t do anything we shouldn’t, the mistress won’t treat us poorly, whether we stay or go.’

The servants all bowed one after another to express their gratitude.

Mei Wanying raised a hand. "For these last few days, don’t let your guard down."

She headed toward the dining hall first, with Pei Yan following behind her at a leisurely pace, as if taking a stroll through a garden.

His gaze was fixed on her slender, graceful figure.

Even without turning around, Mei Wanying could feel the burning intensity of his gaze.

She felt as if she were being watched by a predator, and her whole body tensed with unease.

She turned and glared at him. "Are you going to keep up or not?"

Pei Yan laughed out loud. ’As long as I’m with Ah Yin,’ he thought, ’I’m happy, whether she’s scolding me or glaring at me.’

A sumptuous meal had been prepared, ordered by Mrs. Mei from the main kitchen.

For one, she was afraid of slighting Pei Yan.

Regardless of his relationship with the Mei family, he was now the Emperor—that was a fact.

For another, caring for the sick was exhausting, and Mrs. Mei worried her daughter wasn’t eating or sleeping well and that her body wouldn’t be able to hold up.

Though only two people were dining, the dishes filled the entire table.

Mei Wanying was a little jealous. "I suppose I’m just riding on your coattails."

Pei Yan seized the opportunity. "Since you’re riding on my coattails, shouldn’t you make my position official?"

Mei Wanying gave him a long, meaningful look but said nothing.

Pei Yan knew then that the road to making his position official would be a long one.

Fortunately, he did not lack patience.

He had made much more progress this year than the last.

Waving away the servants, Pei Yan personally served Mei Wanying her food.

He justified his actions with a grin. "A paramour who doesn’t want to be made official isn’t a good paramour. Ah Yin, I’m trying to curry favor with you."

’One mention of "paramour" after another.’

’One mention of "making it official" after another.’

Pei Yan’s expression was relaxed, showing none of the "humiliation" one might expect from being a mere "paramour."

The man’s words were so shocking that Mei Wanying nearly choked. She forbade him from speaking any more.

Pei Yan obediently shut his mouth and considerately placed food on her plate, truly acting like an obedient paramour.

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

’The man is clearly full of wicked schemes, yet he’s pretending to be obedient and harmless. I wonder what he’s plotting.’

After the meal, having arranged for someone to watch over Ling, Mei Wanying finally had time to take a bath.

For the past several days, Ling had been so ill that Mei Wanying had eaten and slept by her bedside, not daring to leave for even a moment.

Bathing had been out of the question.

Now that Ling’s condition had improved, she relaxed into a hot bath, and most of the fatigue from the past several days melted away.

Mei Wanying’s intuition was sharp.

Later that night, as she was drifting in a hazy sleep, she felt herself pulled into a fiery embrace.

Without opening her eyes, Mei Wanying knew who it was.

She jabbed him with her elbow. "Get back to your own courtyard!"

The man only held her tighter, continuing his perverse logic. "As your paramour, it is my duty to attend to you in bed."

Mei Wanying: "..."

Pei Yan continued, "A paramour should do everything they can to climb into their master’s bed and work hard to be made official."

Mei Wanying: "..."

She had known it all along. She couldn’t give Pei Yan an inch, or he would become impossibly clingy.

The kind you couldn’t shoo away even if you tried!

And now, he had done just that, exactly as she’d predicted.

Mei Wanying wanted to cry but had no tears. "I take it all back..."

In the darkness, the man let out a low hum. "Ah Yin, I’ll be on my best behavior. Don’t be in such a hurry to chase me away."