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

Ling sat in the crook of Pei Yan’s arm, looking reserved, all her previous liveliness gone.

Her large eyes darted about, secretly glancing around. When she didn’t see Wei Jue, her demeanor grew even more timid.

The little one was clever; she could tell at a glance that he was the master of the estate.

Forcing a smile that revealed her little baby teeth, she pointed in the direction of the Mei family home and answered obediently, "Mama... home... child..."

Ling looked just like Mei Wanying; her sweet, obedient appearance was the spitting image of her mother’s.

She had grown so much, gotten taller, and her features had blossomed. On her tender, fair little face, one could faintly see a trace of Pei Yan.

’This is my and Ah Yin’s child. She’s been growing up well.’

The corners of Pei Yan’s mouth lifted uncontrollably, only to fall again just as quickly.

’His daughter didn’t even recognize him!’

He slipped his large hands under Ling’s armpits and lifted her high, bringing the little girl to his eye level.

"Take a good look. Who am I?"

’I’m her papa.’

’Call me Papa!’ 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Pei Yan stared at Ling’s little face, hoping she would recognize him.

Ling looked utterly bewildered, clearly not recognizing the man before her.

But he kept insisting she look at him. Ling’s forced smile vanished, and she began to mumble about wanting to go home, forgetting all about the kite.

"Mama..."

"I want... Mama..."

Pei Yan wanted Mei Wanying, too.

’But I can’t appear before her. If I do, I’ll lose even the chance to watch her in secret.’

He prompted Ling gently, "You’ve written me letters. Try to remember."

But what child, fussing to go home, would listen to him?

She just kept mumbling for her mama.

Ling kicked her dangling little feet and said with an adorable fierceness, "Put me down! Home!"

Her little fists were clenched and she put on her fiercest expression, making it very hard for Pei Yan to hold back his laughter.

’My and Ah Yin’s daughter has quite the little temper.’

’If I don’t let her go, those little fists will probably land on my face.’

Stifling his laughter, Pei Yan said, "Lingling doesn’t recognize me, I’m so sad. You’re being mean to me, and you even want to hit me. I’m going to cry."

As he spoke, he put on a very sad expression.

He even let out a couple of fake sobs.

From the shadows, Wei Jue averted his gaze. His face flushed, and his earlobes were so red they looked ready to bleed. Deceiving a mere child... he felt a profound sense of secondhand embarrassment for his master.

Hearing his "sobs," Ling froze for a moment and fidgeted uncomfortably with her fingers.

’Did I make him cry?’

"No hit... you..."

As she said this, she unclenched her little fists. She even patted Pei Yan’s arm gently, coaxing, "No cry..."

The little hand patting him was weightless, yet it made Pei Yan’s heart grow full and heavy.

’My daughter is comforting me!’

Even though she didn’t recognize him, Ling was so good to him.

It was a rare chance to be with his daughter, and Pei Yan cherished every moment of their time together.

’If only Ah Yin were here too, I could die without any regrets.’

Ling saw the dejection in Pei Yan’s eyes. She wanted to comfort him but didn’t know what to say.

Anxious, she started to squirm, pointing insistently outside the estate.

The little one couldn’t speak very clearly yet, only managing to blurt out two or three words at a time.

Comforting such a big person was proving to be quite a struggle for her.

Ling wanted to find her mama even more now.

’She wanted her mama to comfort this person.’

’Whenever she cried, Mama would pat her and hum a little tune, and she would stop crying.’

’Held in Mama’s arms, she would even fall asleep.’

’And when she woke up, she wouldn’t be sad at all.’

Ling said, "Find Mama..."

This was the clearest thing she had said yet. After all, "Find Mama" was the first thing on her mind every day when she woke up.

Then she added, "Go together... Mama... comfort you..."

Pei Yan’s heart trembled.

’Ah Yin... comforting me?’

’He wouldn’t even dare to dream of something so wonderful.’

He pulled his daughter into his arms and whispered, "Don’t let Mama know."

Ling frowned, her bright, clear eyes full of confusion.

Pei Yan cleared his throat. "I’m afraid your mama will laugh at me."

"No!"

Ling’s rebuttal was swift.

’Mama would never laugh at someone!’

’Mama never laughs at me when I cry!’

Ling glared at Pei Yan, thinking he was speaking ill of her mama.

She no longer wanted to stay with him and began to fuss, all while shooting daggers at Pei Yan with her eyes.

Unfortunately, her glares lacked any real menace, only making her look all the more impishly cute.

Pei Yan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’This little one... her mood changes in the blink of an eye. I wonder who she gets that from?’

He quickly tried to placate her. "Your mama is the best."

Ling’s temper flared up as quickly as it faded, and Pei Yan’s simple sentence was enough to appease her.

But she still wanted to leave.

’Mama is still waiting for me outside. If I take too long, she’ll get worried.’

Pei Yan wanted to spend more time with his daughter. This was his territory, and the fact that Ah Yin had let Lingling enter the estate alone was proof enough of her trust in him.

That trust soothed the dull ache in Pei Yan’s heart.

’Ah Yin trusts me. That means there’s still a chance for us.’

Pei Yan wanted to stay with his child a little longer, but he was afraid Mei Wanying would grow anxious waiting, so he stopped teasing Ling.

He said, "Papa and Lingling will figure out a way. We’ll get the kite down."

The kite was caught on a branch. In Ling’s eyes, it was hanging very, very high up.

In reality, Pei Yan could have gotten it down just by reaching up.

Ling forgot all about the kite. Her eyes widened, and her little hand poked Pei Yan’s face as she asked uncertainly, "Papa?"

Pei Yan nodded. "It’s Papa."

He nuzzled his daughter’s little cheek with his chin. "Papa came back to see Lingling."

’He had originally planned to keep his presence a secret, to prevent Ah Yin from finding out he was in Jiangnan.’

’But with his daughter right here in front of him, he broke his own plan. He wanted to hear Lingling call him Papa; he wanted to be with his daughter as her father.’

’Not as some insignificant stranger.’

Ling stared at Pei Yan for a long time, unsure if he was tricking a child.

"Find Mama..."

’Mama would definitely know if this man was her papa.’

’It’s a good thing for a child to be cautious.’

’She can’t mistake someone else for her papa again.’

’If that were to happen again, Pei Yan wasn’t sure what he would do.’

’Lingling’s papa was him.’

’That one word, "Papa," was meant for him and him alone!’

Pei Yan stroked Ling’s little head. "After we get the kite, we’ll go find your mama."

Ling nodded like a little chick pecking at grain.

She looked up at the kite in the tree and said she’d climb up to get it.

Pei Yan smiled.

’Lingling is so much like Ah Yin was as a child, always thinking about climbing trees, like a little monkey.’

He instructed his daughter, "First, let’s try using a bamboo pole to see if we can knock the kite down."

Ling nodded. "Okay, fine."

Her tone was so adult-like that Pei Yan couldn’t help but laugh out loud again.

He set his daughter down on the ground.

Ling had sharp eyes and immediately spotted a bamboo pole not far away.

The pole was only about the length of an adult’s arm. Ling looked at the pole, then at the kite, and her little brow furrowed.

Finally, she stomped her foot and huffed, "Bad Papa!"

’There were bamboo poles at home, too—very, very long ones, for knocking down fruit.’

’The bamboo pole at Papa’s house was for tricking kids!’

Pei Yan hadn’t expected his daughter to be so impatient. He had been planning to let her try a few different methods before finally getting the kite down.

But instead, the little girl planted her hands on her hips, puffed out her cheeks, and ordered him, "Papa! Go get it!"