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

Xue Yunshu leaned toward Pei Yan, deliberately putting distance between herself and Mei Wanying. It was already perfectly clear who she was scorning.

The anger Xue Xingyao had struggled to suppress flared up again.

Before she could curse, she watched as Mei Wanying elegantly lifted her cup and splashed the tea in Xue Yunshu’s face.

"If the stench is making you sick, then this should clear your head."

"Miss Xue, no need to thank me. It was nothing." Mei Wanying took out a handkerchief and meticulously wiped her slender fingers.

She had a beautiful face, and her fingers were just as lovely.

Slender as scallion tips, they were fair and delicate, with perfectly pink nails. Every detail was almost unfairly beautiful.

Pei Yan jerked his gaze away, his Adam’s apple bobbing uncontrollably.

Mei Wanying couldn’t have cared less about the man’s reaction.

’If he finds me to be an eyesore, he can just close his eyes.’

Her exquisite face was perfectly calm. She didn’t think her recent actions were rude in the slightest, nor were they impulsive.

’I don’t bother anyone who doesn’t bother me.’

If she were the type to let everyone walk all over her, to not fight back when hit or talk back when cursed—like some kind of pushover—then she would have wasted her life.

It would be a disgrace to the Mei family!

Xue Xingyao silently gave Mei Wanying a thumbs-up.

That’s her best friend, alright! She wouldn’t take this lying down!

Mei Wanying lifted her chin, her expression haughty. ’Who does Xue Yunshu think she is?’

’Does she think she has the right to give me a dirty look?’

The private room fell dead silent.

The sudden turn of events left Xue Yunshu completely stunned.

Tea soaked her face and dampened the hair on her forehead. It dripped down her cheeks, washing away her powder and rouge and leaving messy streaks in its wake.

Xue Yunshu’s mind went blank, a tangled mess.

’How could a delicate, high-born lady do something so crude?’

In her mind, Mei Wanying was supposed to burst into tears of shame and humiliation, utterly losing face in front of Pei Yan.

But instead, Mei Wanying had thrown tea at her!

Not wanting Pei Yan to see her ruined makeup, Xue Yunshu finally sat up straight.

She dabbed at her face with a handkerchief and said righteously, "Miss Mei, what you did was wrong. Resorting to violence over a simple disagreement—how does that make you any different from a common shrew? Aren’t you noble ladies supposed to be dignified and gentle? Aren’t you afraid of disgracing your entire social circle?"

Xue Yunshu spat out the words "noble ladies," her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Although she was the daughter of the Duke Mansion and deeply favored by Duke Xue, the young ladies of other families refused to associate with her.

In the eyes of others, she was nothing more than an illegitimate child with a questionable background.

After all, Duke Xue had eloped with a Medical Woman, and Xue Yunshu was the product of their marriage.

Marriages were matters of great importance, traditionally dictated by parents and arranged by matchmakers. Since the Duke Mansion refused to recognize the union, Xue Yunshu’s status was awkward.

She was doted on endlessly by Duke Xue, yet shunned in society. The vast difference between these two realities naturally bred hostility in her toward the noble ladies of the Capital City.

Even though she’d had no prior dealings with Mei Wanying, she hated her.

Hated her with a passion!

Even without Pei Yan and Xue Xingyao in the picture, she couldn’t stand the sight of Mei Wanying.

’What right does a fatherless, down-on-her-luck noble girl have to be so proud?’

Xue Yunshu said, "If you apologize, I’ll let this matter go. I’m not a petty person."

Mei Wanying now understood why her best friend was so often driven to fury by Xue Yunshu.

’The woman is truly shameless.’

’She can spout such twisted nonsense with so much self-righteousness, as if she’s some champion of justice.’

’The sheer thickness of her skin is something else!’

"Looks like you’re still not thinking clearly," Mei Wanying said, rubbing her wrists.

Xue Yunshu leaned back defensively, her eyes darting to the teapot, terrified Mei Wanying was about to douse her again.

Barely suppressing her rage, she forced the words through her teeth, "Miss Mei, you are far too arrogant and domineering. No wonder..."

SLAP!

The crisp sound of a slap cut off the rest of her sentence.

She had been about to say, ’no wonder that despite Mei Wanying’s pretty face, no man likes her.’

’And no wonder her father died young—it must be that Mei Wanying’s wicked ways shortened his life!’

Xue Yunshu had been thinking she would take this opportunity to teach Mei Wanying a lesson on what it means to be kind.

’She shouldn’t think she can do whatever she wants just because she’s a high-born lady.’

’And she shouldn’t think everyone will worship the ground she walks on.’

Others might fawn over Mei Wanying, but she, Xue Yunshu, never would.

’Mei Wanying just got lucky with the family she was born into, that’s all.’

’What’s so great about that?’

’Unlike her and her mother, who came from humble beginnings but managed to rise up through their own merits.’

’Now *that* is true strength!’

Her pride and confidence shattered by the slap, Xue Yunshu stared at Mei Wanying in disbelief.

"How dare you hit me!"

Mei Wanying raised an eyebrow. "Do I need to schedule an appointment to hit you?"

Xue Yunshu cried, "My father won’t let you get away with this!"

Unintimidated, Mei Wanying replied, "Then bring it on."

She and her mother might be wary of the Crown Prince and the Royal Family, but that didn’t mean they feared the Duke Mansion.

’If Xue Yunshu thinks she can act like a tyrant just because she has Duke Xue’s favor, she’s dead wrong.’

She wasn’t Ah Yao; she wouldn’t be constrained by the Xue Family’s rules and notions of filial piety.

’Xue Yunshu came looking for a fight. If I didn’t give her a couple of slaps, I’d be letting her diligent provocations go to waste.’

Mei Wanying didn’t cry or throw a fit. Instead, it was Xue Yunshu who was seething.

She desperately wanted to run back to the Duke Mansion for backup, but she was afraid that leaving would be playing right into Mei Wanying’s hands.

Everyone in the Capital City knew Mei Wanying was crazy about marrying Pei Yan.

’If I leave, Mei Wanying will definitely cozy up to Prince Chen and try to seduce him.’

’Absolutely not!’

Xue Yunshu bit her lip, her eyes red with unshed tears, but she didn’t turn to Pei Yan for help. She just sat there, stubborn.

Xue Xingyao rolled her eyes.

’It’s a disgrace to share the same blood as someone like her.’

She took Mei Wanying’s hand and blew on her fair, delicate fingers with exaggerated care.

"Some people’s faces are as thick as a city wall. Your skin is so delicate, I hope you didn’t scratch yourself."

At her wit’s end, Xue Yunshu turned to Pei Yan. "Prince Chen, can you please make them leave?"

Pei Yan’s eyes were cold. "Was the slap not hard enough?"

Xue Yunshu’s hand tightened on her sleeve. ’Why isn’t this going the way I imagined?’

A terrible suspicion formed in her mind.

’Could Prince Chen... toward Mei Wanying...’

’No.’

’It’s impossible!’

’Otherwise, he would have married Mei Wanying long ago.’

Xue Yunshu’s heart sank. To test her suspicion, she said, "Miss Mei, apologize to me, and I will forgive your insolence."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Pei Yan’s expression hadn’t changed.

There was no sign of him rushing to defend anyone.

’Was I really just overthinking things?’

Xue Yunshu was confused, unable to decipher Pei Yan’s true feelings.

’Who is it he truly cares for?’

Having already slapped her, there was no way Mei Wanying would apologize. "Was one slap not enough for you?"

Xue Yunshu: "..."

For some reason, she felt that Mei Wanying’s attitude right now was strikingly similar to Pei Yan’s.

’What a perfect pair of childhood sweethearts!’

’It’s absolutely sickening!’

Unwilling to leave yet with no one to help her, Xue Yunshu could only swallow her anger.

The corners of Pei Yan’s mouth lifted slightly.

He glanced at Mei Wanying with a ghost of a smile. ’Sure enough, she’s a feisty Little Raccoon.’

’Just like before. She’ll scratch whoever displeases her.’

’No wonder the Crown Prince had a slap mark on his face yesterday, along with two bloody scratches.’

A look of pride flashed in the man’s eyes.

’So what if she isn’t strong enough to lift or carry heavy things? She’s not the type to take abuse lying down!’

’Besides, he doesn’t need Wanying to do physical labor. What’s the use of brute strength?’

’She just needs to live the rest of her life in peace and comfort. When something requires physical effort, there will be people to handle it for her.’

Chen Shujing didn’t miss the fleeting look of smug pride on Pei Yan’s face.

He was speechless.

’Seriously, what is he so proud of?’