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

Chen Shujing only learned that Shen Mingji had left Jiangnan after the fact.

He had already decided to let Shen Mingji’s matter go, but he never intended for him to go risk his life in the Northern Land.

This was the only relative Xiaoxiao cared about; Chen Shujing couldn’t pretend he was unaware of the situation.

After making some inquiries, he learned that Pei Yan himself had given the order.

Pei Yan was the New Emperor, managing countless affairs of state every day. Why would he have the time to pay attention to Ah Ji?

Chen Shujing thought it over and over, suspecting this had something to do with Xue Xingyao.

She wanted him to leave Jiangnan, and when he wouldn’t, she went after the people around him, using them to force him out.

Xue Xingyao and Mei Wanying were inseparable best friends. Pei Yan would do anything to please Mei Wanying.

Chen Shujing’s expression changed.

’If that’s true, doesn’t that mean I’m the one who harmed Ah Ji?’

’It’s one thing if Ah Ji stays alive, but if something happens to him in the Northern Land, how will I ever face Xiaoxiao?’

Chen Shujing had never been to a battlefield, but even he knew how dangerous the Northern Land was.

The slightest mistake could get you killed.

He couldn’t let Ah Ji stay there. He had to bring him back!

When Xue Xingyao saw Chen Shujing again, her patience had run out. Her slender, willow-like eyebrows knitted together. "What in the world do you want?"

Xue Xingyao’s eyes were filled with impatience. She only wore this attitude for people she detested.

She had thought her parting with Chen Shujing would be amicable, but she never expected him to follow her to Jiangnan and pester her relentlessly.

Xue Xingyao could no longer remain calm and composed. Decorum? She couldn’t care less about it anymore!

"Get lost, and stay out of my sight."

Pei Yan used to be the one on the receiving end of her scolding. Now that it was his turn, Chen Shujing finally understood how awful it felt.

A wave of frustration roiled within him, threatening to erupt. Chen Shujing’s chest heaved, but he forced himself to remain composed.

He said in a calm tone, "I came to talk about Ah Ji."

Xue Xingyao’s expression froze for a moment. "What does his business have to do with me? You’ve got the wrong person."

Chen Shujing looked directly into Xue Xingyao’s eyes and asked probingly, "Was it you who asked Miss Mei for help to have him transferred to the Northern Land?"

Xue Xingyao’s eyes filled with confusion, as if she was struggling to understand what Chen Shujing was saying and couldn’t quite process it.

Chen Shujing continued, "You don’t want to see me. That’s a matter between the two of us. There’s no need to use Ah Ji to pressure me."

After a few moments, Xue Xingyao finally understood what Chen Shujing meant and let out a derisive laugh.

She was absolutely livid!

The corners of Xue Xingyao’s eyes tilted upward, her clear, cool gaze filled with scorn. ’Just what kind of person does he think I am?’

"You know you’re not welcome, so why haven’t you gotten lost yet?"

She was never a patient person to begin with, and now her tone was harsh and full of anger.

Chen Shujing pressed his lips together and said helplessly, "Just say the word to Miss Mei. Have her write a letter to the Emperor and get Ah Ji transferred back."

Xue Xingyao was seething. "Don’t flatter yourself. You think you’re so important that I’d bother asking Ah Yin for help?"

"Shen Mingji being transferred to the Northern Land has nothing to do with me. Heir Chen, instead of coming here to question me, you should go find out the truth for yourself!"

Chen Shujing knew what kind of temper Xue Xingyao had. She always spoke her mind and acted with integrity, never learning the art of hypocrisy.

His fingers curled into a fist, a sense of unease creeping into his heart.

But he still had to ask one more time, "It really has nothing to do with you?"

Xue Xingyao’s expression went completely blank.

She had already said what needed to be said. If Chen Shujing didn’t believe her, it would be useless to explain a thousand or even ten thousand times.

’Why waste my breath on someone who doesn’t trust me?’

Xue Xingyao turned to leave, and Chen Shujing completely panicked.

He quickly apologized, "It was my fault. I was thoughtless. I shouldn’t have suspected you. Ah Yao, forgive me."

Xue Xingyao didn’t even glance at him.

She didn’t want to say another word to him.

When it came to Chen Shujing, she truly felt nothing anymore.

Chen Shujing reached out to grab Xue Xingyao’s hand, but stopped when he met her cold, indifferent gaze.

His lips moved, but all that came out was a hollow, "Ah Yao, I was wrong."

Xue Xingyao stopped walking. "If you’re truly sorry, then please, never appear before me again. Chen Shujing, I don’t want to hate you."

Hate was too heavy a burden, and Xue Xingyao didn’t want to drown in the rights and wrongs of the past.

She refused to be dragged down.

She wanted to stride boldly forward!

Xue Xingyao said, "I hope this is the last time we see each other."

Then she left, her departure clean and decisive. She never once looked back.

Chen Shujing stood there, utterly devastated. "Was I too harsh?"

His attendant tried to console him. "Young Master, you should look ahead. The madam truly isn’t coming back."

These past few days, no matter how the Young Master tried to win her favor, the madam remained unmoved.

Yet the Young Master was convinced that if he just tried hard enough, he could win the madam back.

The one involved is lost, while the onlooker sees clearly. As outsiders, they could see with perfect clarity whether the madam still held any affection for the Young Master.

The madam was truly never coming back!

The attendant’s words were too blunt, and Chen Shujing’s face turned deathly pale.

"Without her, how can I move forward?"

It wasn’t that he had no feelings for Ah Yao; he had signed the divorce paper on impulse.

He had never truly imagined being apart from Xue Xingyao.

The feeling of a dull knife slowly slicing through his heart spread from deep within his chest. Only now did Chen Shujing belatedly realize he cared about Xue Xingyao far more than he had ever imagined.

The man gave a bleak smile. ’Ah Yao was already unwilling to reconcile. Now that I’ve wrongly accused her, she’s even less likely to ever come back.’

Chen Shujing didn’t know what to do, his face a mask of utter confusion.

’I really don’t want to be apart from Ah Yao...’

Meanwhile, Xue Xingyao changed her route and headed to the Mei Family’s old house to ask about Shen Mingji’s situation.

Mei Wanying pondered for a moment before summoning Wei Jue.

"Did you tattle?"

Wei Jue cleared his throat. "I didn’t tattle. I merely reported some amusing anecdotes about the Little Prince."

Mei Wanying and Xue Xingyao exchanged a look, understanding at once why Shen Mingji had been transferred.

"Tell him to retract his order. Don’t make things difficult for an innocent man."

Wei Jue seized the opportunity to suggest, "If you write a letter to the Emperor, I’ll have it sent by express courier back to the Capital City. I guarantee Mr. Shen will be sent back to Jiangnan before he even reaches the Northern Land."

When the Emperor left Jiangnan, he looked as if he had been abandoned, his figure radiating a cold desolation from behind.

The Emperor will surely be overjoyed to receive a letter from Miss Mei.

And when the Emperor is happy, he’ll shamelessly come to visit Miss Mei and the Little Prince.

And with a few visits back and forth, won’t they reconcile?

Wei Jue felt he had worried himself sick trying to play matchmaker for these two masters of his.

But in return, all he got was a single cold sentence: "Whoever tattled is responsible."

Wei Jue: "..."

’I really wasn’t tattling,’ he thought. ’I was just faithfully reporting on the daily lives of Miss Mei and the Little Prince.’

He didn’t dare say this out loud.

If Miss Mei found out that the letters also mentioned her, she would definitely be angry.

「Another letter was sent from Jiangnan to the Capital City.」

The previous letter had successfully reached Pei Yan’s hands.

The envelope was blank, and inside was only a single sheet of paper.

The messenger had said the letter came from the Mei Family’s old house, and that Ling had written it for him.

Pei Yan was nearly overcome with surprise and delight.

’Lingling wrote to me, so Ah Yin must know about it. Does this mean she’s not angry with me anymore?’

He was so moved that his eyes grew moist.

He carefully held the paper, and as he gazed at the childish scrawl on it, the ice on the man’s stern face melted away.

’Lingling really did write this.’ 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

’The child misses me.’

’And Ah Yin... she must miss me too.’

The desire to see them peaked. Pei Yan tucked the talisman-like scrawl against his chest, close to his heart.

He silently vowed, ’Wait for me!’