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

Pei Yan picked up his daughter and lifted her over his head. The little one reached out and grabbed the kite.

She giggled with delight.

She wasn’t angry with Pei Yan anymore.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. ’Father is so strong! He lifted me so high.’

’Mother can’t lift me that high.’

"Father, you’re so, so, so, so... amazing!" Ling said with an exaggerated expression, repeating "so" again and again.

Seeing the worshipful look in his daughter’s eyes, Pei Yan looked smug. "When you’re a little older, Father will teach you how to climb trees, ride horses, and shoot a bow. Father will teach you anything you want to learn."

The little one’s eyes shone even brighter.

Clutching the kite with both hands, she leaned affectionately against Pei Yan, her little feet dangling and swinging. ’My father is the best!’

Pei Yan held the child with one arm and stroked the little one’s head with his other hand.

Ling’s hair was fine, soft, and smooth, tied in two small pigtails. Pei Yan couldn’t resist giving one a gentle squeeze.

To others, this was a trivial, everyday moment, but to Pei Yan, it was incredibly precious.

’I don’t know when I’ll get to hold my daughter again.’

After taking her to the outer courtyard, Pei Yan instructed Ling, "Don’t tell Mother you saw Father."

"Huh?"

Ling didn’t understand.

She frowned. "But I want to..."

She wanted to tell her mother how strong her father was, how he’d lifted her so very high that she could get the kite back with just one reach.

Children can’t keep secrets; they want to share everything, big or small, with those they are close to.

Pei Yan’s request was truly difficult for Ling.

"Father did something wrong, and Mother will be angry if she sees Father," Pei Yan said, his voice laced with dejection. "She might even cry."

’If I could, I’d appear before Ah Yin openly and honorably.’

’I want to hold her.’

’Kiss her.’

’Possess her.’

’Tell her how much I miss her every single day.’

Ling covered her mouth and shook her head like a rattle drum. "I won’t tell..."

She didn’t want to make her mother angry.

And she definitely didn’t want to make her mother cry!

Ding Xiang was just around the corner. Pei Yan put the child down and gently pinched her little cheek. "This is a secret between Lingling and Father. You can’t tell anyone."

The little one pressed her lips together and nodded forcefully.

He ruffled her hair. "Go on, Father will be watching."

"Okay."

Ling kept looking back every few steps, reluctance written all over her small face.

When Ding Xiang saw Ling appear with the kite in her arms, she hurried over to meet her.

’Men are so unreliable,’ she cursed silently. ’Where the hell did Wei Jue go?!’

’Letting Ling wander around by herself in such a huge mansion... what if she got hurt?’

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Ding Xiang picked Ling up. "Little Prince, let’s go home."

’We’re never coming back here again!’

Sitting in Ding Xiang’s arms, Ling kept twisting her head to look around.

She saw her father standing at the corner and broke into a grin, revealing a few baby teeth. She looked innocent and adorable.

Pei Yan followed them at a leisurely pace and, as he had hoped, saw Mei Wanying.

She was dressed in summer clothes, holding a round fan. She stood there gracefully, her beautiful face unconcealed. When she saw her daughter come out of the estate gates, she walked over and bent down to take Ling’s hand.

Her swan-like neck was elegant. The pearl earrings she wore swayed slightly. Her porcelain-white skin was like a piece of lustrous jade. Despite the lack of glittering jewelry, she was still dazzlingly beautiful.

Pei Yan watched Mei Wanying greedily, his gaze sweeping over her coiled hair and slowly moving down, unable to get enough of the sight.

As if sensing something, Mei Wanying looked back, but she only saw the butler watching them respectfully.

She averted her gaze and led Ling through the gate of the old residence.

Pei Yan emerged from behind the gate, his heart aching with a bitter pang. ’That’s my woman and my child, yet I have to sneak around just to see them.’

’I was the one who made the mistake. I don’t even have the right to complain.’

Mei Wanying and the child had already disappeared from view. Pei Yan stood silently at the gate, as if his feet had taken root, unable to move even an inch.

Seeing this, the butler gave the gatekeepers a look, and they all quickly departed.

Meanwhile, Mei Wanying asked her daughter, "Where did the kite fly off to?"

Ling replied, "A tree! The tree was so, so tall..."

She gestured with her hands as she spoke,

Trying to show her mother just how tall that tree was.

Mei Wanying smiled faintly and asked, as if casually, "Then how did you get the kite down?"

"Fa..."

Ling immediately clamped her hands over her mouth, her large, clear eyes darting about as she pretended not to have heard her mother’s question.

Mei Wanying’s hand holding the round fan tightened, but she didn’t press the matter.

Ling tilted her little head back, wanting to see if her mother was angry. ’Why isn’t she talking?’

Mei Wanying stopped walking. "Mother left something behind and needs to go find it. You go back with Ding Xiang first. You two can fix the kite together, and we’ll come back to the garden to fly it again tomorrow."

Ling nodded her head like a chick pecking at grain.

For once, she didn’t cry or throw a tantrum, demanding to follow Mei Wanying.

She obediently took Ding Xiang’s hand and left.

Mei Wanying knew her own child best.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She turned and walked toward the side gate, subconsciously lightening her steps.

Outside the gate, it was empty. The person she expected to see was not there.

Her fair hand resting on the gate frame, Mei Wanying stood there for a long time before letting out a stifled, self-deprecating laugh. ’What am I doing?’

’Even if Pei Yan were here, what does it have to do with me?’

’The last time they parted, she had made it crystal clear: she never wanted to see him again.’

’She should be happy that Pei Yan wasn’t here.’

’I shouldn’t have come back.’

’I shouldn’t have... hoped to see him.’

If Mei Wanying had stepped outside the gate and taken two more steps forward, she would have seen the man standing pressed against the wall.

Pei Yan had wanted to watch Mei Wanying and Ling for a little longer, so he had followed them instinctively. He never expected Mei Wanying to double back on him.

His body moved faster than his mind, and he hid himself once again.

Pei Yan cursed himself for being so pathetic.

’I should have just let Ah Yin see me.’

’Then I could have marched right into the old residence to see Ling, bold as brass.’

’I’ve done plenty of shameless things before. What’s one more?’

The man took a deep breath and smoothed down his immaculate brocade robe.

Mustering his courage, he stepped out.

But the woman leaning on the gate had already turned and left.

It was too late for Pei Yan to chase after her. He had missed the perfect opportunity.

The next day, Mei Wanying left home very early to visit the farming estate outside the city, where she would inspect the harvest, check the accounts, and collect rent.

Mei Wanying was now in charge of the Mei family, and she often had to personally make an appearance to command respect and manage affairs.

At first, Mrs. Mei had worried whether her daughter could shoulder the responsibility.

But later, seeing how methodically she handled matters and managed everything inside and out with perfect order, Mrs. Mei was completely reassured.

She handed over the entire family business to Mei Wanying.

She had to walk her own path in the future; gaining more experience was a good thing.

When Mei Wanying returned to the city, it was already 3:00 PM.

On a thought, she ordered the coachman to change course and head to a restaurant.

It was the same private room as last time. Mei Wanying ordered a few of the restaurant’s signature dishes and had the manager pack them up directly. She was taking them back to her residence.

About an incense stick’s time later, Mei Wanying left, with Ding Xiang following behind carrying a food box.

Pei Yan never expected Mei Wanying to use the same trick twice.

Cornered by her at the door of the private room, the man was at a complete loss, his mouth opening and closing, unsure of what to say.

Finally, he just clamped his mouth shut, putting on the defiant expression of a rogue who was ready for whatever punishment she dished out.

Mei Wanying asked, "Are you following me?"

Pei Yan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He couldn’t lie to Mei Wanying, so he could only remain silent.

Mei Wanying: "Why do you keep showing up?"

Not daring to look her in the eyes, Pei Yan kept his head down like a child who had done wrong. "Because... I missed you."