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

The door to Pei Yan’s private room was open, as was the one next door.

It was just that Xue Yunshu had seen the Prince Chen Mansion’s carriage outside the restaurant, so she was completely focused on Pei Yan, not noticing that Mei Wanying and the others were right next door.

Hearing those words, Xue Xingyao’s face flushed red with anger.

"It’s one thing for her to tattle at home, but to be so reckless with her words in public... Is she trying to get us all killed?"

If that person hadn’t been Pei Yan, not only would she and her mother be in trouble, but the entire Duke Mansion would have suffered.

Some things were fine as long as they weren’t brought out into the open; people could turn a blind eye.

But bringing it up before a member of the Royal Family—how was that any different from a direct provocation?

It was like she was afraid people *wouldn’t* hold it against them!

Overcome with rage, Xue Xingyao shot up from her seat and stormed out of the private room.

Wei Jue blocked her, so she couldn’t charge directly into the room to curse out Xue Yunshu.

So she stood in the hallway and shouted, "You backstabbing dog! You must have eaten too much shit to be this full of it!"

Mei Wanying quickly followed her out. Hearing the insult, she almost burst out laughing.

She tugged on Xue Xingyao’s hand, gesturing for her to calm down.

’That was way too vulgar,’ Mei Wanying thought. ’Heir Chen is still here. He’s the man Ah Yao has her heart set on. If she doesn’t rein it in now, she’ll definitely regret it later.’

Chen Shujing followed close behind.

His mouth twitched, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

He truly hadn’t expected Xue Xingyao to have such a temper.

’She refuses to suffer even the slightest grievance. She doesn’t seem much like the person I picture in my heart.’

Xue Yunshu’s heart skipped a beat when she suddenly heard Xue Xingyao’s voice.

She turned and saw that it was, indeed, Xue Xingyao.

Who was glaring at her furiously.

Beside Xue Xingyao were Mei Wanying and an unfamiliar young man, all of them looking at her with the same detached expression.

Xue Yunshu hated these Noble Children the most. They always acted so high and mighty in front of her.

’What gives them the right to be so noble?’

"Second Sister, is this your upbringing?"

Xue Xingyao retorted, "And what kind of upbringing teaches you to pull dirty tricks behind people’s backs!"

’Playing dirty while pretending to be a good person, always positioning herself as the innocent victim... She’s exactly like her mother.’

’She really learned from the master!’

Xue Yunshu said with righteous indignation, "I was just telling the truth. How is that a dirty trick? It’s just my nature. I can’t stand by and watch others make mistakes, let alone cover for them."

Xue Xingyao gritted her teeth in hatred. "You traitor!"

Xue Yunshu said, "I’m incapable of telling bald-faced lies."

As if hearing a hilarious joke, Xue Xingyao scoffed. "Stop putting on an act. You’ve hidden your fox tail for so long, you’ve actually started thinking you’re human?"

"Are you saying I’m not human?"

Xue Xingyao shot back, "Are you?"

She subtly moved to shield Mei Wanying behind her. ’Knowing Xue Yunshu’s temper, this is usually when she starts throwing a tantrum.’

’Then she’ll go crying to Father, whining about how she’s a motherless child, as lowly as grass, and how everyone tramples all over her.’

’And then Father will punish me. I’m all too familiar with these tactics.’

Xue Yunshu’s eyes welled with tears as she looked pleadingly at Pei Yan. "Your Highness, I don’t know how to lie."

Pei Yan’s gaze drifted to Mei Wanying. Her delicate, porcelain-white hand was gripping Xue Xingyao’s, as if lending her strength.

’And yet, just last night, she was so soft.’

’She had no strength in her hands at all. When I carried her from the carriage, she couldn’t even wrap her arms around my neck.’

’How can she support someone else when she has no strength herself?’

"What are you doing loitering in the doorway? Isn’t this embarrassing enough? Do you want everyone else to come and watch?"

Pei Yan’s tone was severe, and his words were directed at Xue Xingyao’s group.

Xue Yunshu felt that Pei Yan was taking her side. She instantly straightened her back, her confidence swelling.

She shot Xue Xingyao a provocative glance.

Xue Xingyao couldn’t stand her triumphant attitude. "You haven’t even successfully latched onto a high branch, yet you’re already this arrogant. Since Your Highness is here, this subject would like to ask you one thing: on the day of the flower-viewing banquet, will you really choose her?"

Xue Yunshu grew anxious and mortified.

’Questioning His Highness like that... what if he gets angry and decides not to choose me?’

Pei Yan didn’t answer her question. "Are you not coming in?"

Like a punch landing on cotton, Xue Xingyao trembled with anger. ’Those two are in this together.’

’All they do is infuriate people!’

’I really don’t know how Ah Yin has put up with him, being able to like Pei Yan for so many years.’

’If it were me, I would have kicked that dog of a man to the curb long ago!’

Mei Wanying took Xue Xingyao’s hand and said earnestly, "What’s there to be angry about? Just think of it as a dog barking."

Seeing Pei Yan’s face darken, Mei Wanying added, "And look at her, so good at acting fierce with her master’s backing."

In her peripheral vision, Mei Wanying saw Pei Yan’s expression visibly improve.

Xue Yunshu ground her teeth. ’So we’re enemies now.’

’Just you wait. I’ll see how I deal with Mei Wanying!’

Mei Wanying had no intention of pleasing Pei Yan, but she wasn’t alone. Given his vile temper, he would very likely use Ah Yao to control her.

For now, she couldn’t afford to make him angry.

At this time in her past life, Pei Yan and Xue Yunshu hadn’t met yet. Xue Yunshu hadn’t gone to the Border to save the dying and heal the wounded, and Pei Yan hadn’t yet come to see her in a special light.

Once Xue Yunshu revealed her medical skills, Pei Yan would likely be drawn to her again.

’He’s very protective of his own. I wonder if he’ll settle the score with me later for Xue Yunshu’s sake?’

With someone backing her up, Xue Xingyao straightened her back as well.

’With Ah Yin here, I don’t believe Pei Yan would dare touch me.’

’If he really goes that far for Xue Yunshu, I’ll truly believe he’s blind!’

Chen Shujing gave a slight cough and stepped forward to smooth things over. "His Highness has kindly invited us. Let’s all sit together."

"Miss Mei, Miss Xue Er, please..."

Mei Wanying didn’t want to be in the same room as Pei Yan, and Xue Xingyao didn’t want to see Xue Yunshu.

But since Chen Shujing had spoken, they had to give him face.

The two of them exchanged a look.

Xue Xingyao pulled Mei Wanying inside. "I’m terribly curious, Your Highness. What kind of woman do you actually like? It’s rare that we meet, so please, enlighten me."

’Ah Yin is about to leave the Capital City. If Pei Yan really doesn’t like her, then it’s time for her to give up all hope.’

’It’s cruel, but it’s better than Ah Yin suffering from unrequited love all by herself.’

’How can she move on to someone new without a clean slate?’

In Xue Xingyao’s view, a woman must get married. Even though her good friend was in a difficult situation, she would still have to consider marriage prospects once she returned to her hometown.

The mountains are high and the emperor is far away. The Noble Children in the Capital City might be afraid of offending the Crown Prince and thus wouldn’t dare to marry Ah Yin, but that didn’t mean the sons of noble families elsewhere wouldn’t dare.

If the Capital City had no place for Ah Yin, then she would just have to find a wider world.

Whether it was a blessing or a curse, who could say?

Seeing them take their seats, Xue Yunshu took advantage of the chaotic situation to sit down as well, even choosing a spot close to Pei Yan.

She and Chen Shujing sat on either side of Pei Yan. Next to Chen Shujing was Xue Xingyao, and then Mei Wanying.

Being this close, Xue Yunshu could smell the faint fragrance coming from Mei Wanying.

She frowned and instinctively leaned closer to Pei Yan.

’No wonder she’s thrown herself at him for years and still can’t win his heart,’ Xue Yunshu thought. ’She smells like a seductive fox spirit. If His Highness were to fall for Mei Wanying, how shallow would he have to be?’

Knowing that Pei Yan disliked Mei Wanying, while she herself was the one who had caught his eye, filled Xue Yunshu with immense satisfaction.

She couldn’t wait to show off how special she was.

"It’s not that I want to stir up trouble, Your Highness," she began, "but don’t you smell something strange? It’s giving me a headache."