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

Pei Yan’s Jade Pendant was a real hot potato; no one wanted anything to do with it.

’Maybe I should just throw it away and pretend this never happened,’ Mei Wanying thought. ’If Pei Yan asks about it, I’ll just play dumb and say I never saw it.’

’If he gets angry, so be it.’

’He’s always scowling anyway, so it makes little difference whether he’s angry or not.’

’Pei Yan can’t possibly kill me over a single Jade Pendant... can he?’

Mei Wanying looked at the Jade Pendant, then at the stream in the distance, a look of temptation on her face.

Seeing her intention, Chen Shujing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’I never thought I’d see the day Miss Mei would be so disgusted by one of Pei Yan’s personal belongings.’

’The sun must be rising in the west!’

’If certain people found out, they’d probably be seeing red.’

’When Pei Yan left, he looked so self-satisfied, as if he’d made up his mind about something.’

’He was so confident, as if he had everything under control.’

’I’m truly enjoying seeing Pei Yan eat humble pie.’

Afraid that Mei Wanying might actually throw the Jade Pendant away, Chen Shujing said earnestly, "This piece is engraved with the insignia of the Prince Chen Mansion. It’s a symbol of His Highness’s status. My guess is that it can be used to command his men, so you should keep it safe, Miss Mei."

’Knowing Pei Yan, that man has probably already arranged for his men to protect Miss Mei in secret.’

’But it’s a shame he won’t tell her himself. Miss Mei has no idea what his true intentions are.’

’In the end, all his efforts will likely be for naught.’

Chen Shujing didn’t know what to make of Pei Yan. ’It wouldn’t have taken him that long. What would have been the harm in explaining things clearly to Miss Mei before leaving for the Border?’

’Now that he’s gone, there’s no telling when he’ll be back.’

’Does he really think Miss Mei is so hopelessly devoted to him that she’ll just wait for him forever?’

’The one who is loved is always fearless. One can only imagine how much love Miss Mei must have given him in the past.’

’It’s the only reason he could be so certain that even if he were gone for a long time, Miss Mei would still be waiting for him.’

Chen Shujing said, "Once you’re in Jiangnan, you’ll have to rely on yourself for everything. If you run into any difficult people, try showing them His Highness’s Jade Pendant. It might work wonders."

Xue Xingyao clapped her hands. "Brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that!"

’That damn Pei Yan is finally good for something.’

Everyone knows about the relationship between Pei Yan and the Mei family. For Ah Yin to have his Jade Pendant is like having a protective Amulet.

"The mountains are high and the emperor is far away," as they say, but anyone who wants to harm her will still have to think twice.

’It’s like the fox borrowing the tiger’s might. If she can protect herself by flying Pei Yan’s banner, why not?’

Xue Xingyao said, "Just take it. This is what Pe—... His Highness owes you."

’After all, that scoundrel almost kissed Ah Yin.’

’If I hadn’t caught him in the act, Pei Yan would have devoured her whole.’

’He’s infuriating!’

Afraid Mei Wanying would notice something was amiss, Xue Xingyao explained, "He was raised by your family and carefully cultivated by Uncle Mei. He owes you all."

Mei Wanying pressed her lips together. "That was my father’s choice. He never expected Pei Yan to repay him for anything."

’Pei Yan worked hard to make us proud. The military honors he earned when he first began to make a name for himself were exchanged for many treasures.’

’All those treasures are in the Mei family’s vaults.’

They had known each other for too long, their lives too deeply entangled. It was all a tangled mess, impossible to unravel who owed what to whom.

The best solution was to sever the ties completely.

Xue Xingyao insisted, "Even if he doesn’t owe the Mei family, he still owes *you*! He... he’s just stringing you along!"

Chen Shujing shook his head in resignation.

’If she keeps this up, Miss Mei is going to get suspicious.’

Clearing his throat, he put in a good word for Pei Yan. "His Highness has been on campaign for years. As far as I can tell, you’re the only young woman he really knows, Miss Mei. It’s hardly surprising that he doesn’t know how to interact with ladies."

Chen Shujing added, "If he were *too* good at charming women, now *that* would be a real cause for concern."

There was nothing wrong with his words on the surface, but Xue Xingyao still shot Chen Shujing a suspicious glance.

’He’s so tactful and well-mannered, treating everyone with a gentle courtesy. He’s nothing like the cold, aloof Pei Yan, who either ignores you or verbally suffocates you.’

’Someone so agreeable and easy to get along with must be popular with the ladies, right?’

The marriage between the Xue and Chen Families was about matching status. Xue Xingyao told herself not to overthink it.

’Chen Shujing is in his twenties. It’s only natural that he’d have a past.’

’As long as he treats me well and is faithful after we’re married, I won’t pry into what came before.’

Letting out an imperceptible sigh, Xue Xingyao squeezed Mei Wanying’s hand, pressing the Jade Pendant firmly into her palm.

"If you run into trouble, don’t try to handle it all by yourself. Find a way to contact Pei Yan. He won’t abandon you."

She had to admit it: no matter where Ah Yin went, the one person in the world who could best protect her was Pei Yan.

As long as Pei Yan stood strong, Ah Yin would always have her protector.

But if Pei Yan were to fall, Ah Yin... would likely face disaster as well.

The Mei family and Pei Yan were too closely tied. Uncle Mei’s former subordinates were now Pei Yan’s supporters.

Even if Ah Yin had let go of Pei Yan and no longer wished to marry him, the political reality was that to the outside world, she and Pei Yan were in the same camp.

Pei Yan had to defeat the Crown Prince.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be the only one to suffer!

Mei Wanying was no fool; of course she understood the situation.

’No matter what anyone else thinks, I won’t be seeing Pei Yan again.’

She rubbed the Jade Pendant in her palm. ’If Pei Yan writes to ask about it, I’ll just mail it back to him.’

’If he doesn’t bring it up, then I’ll just pretend it doesn’t exist.’

The Chen Family and the Xue Family were preparing to finalize the marriage arrangements. If all went well, it wouldn’t be long before their wedding.

Since Mei Wanying was going to Jiangnan, a long journey away, she knew she wouldn’t be able to attend their wedding.

She looked at Chen Shujing and said earnestly, "Heir Chen, Ah Yao is my dearest friend. She is sincere, pure-hearted, and incredibly loyal. Managing a household will be second nature to her. I hope you will cherish her and never give her a reason to cry."

’In my last life, before I died, Ah Yao and Heir Chen had lived happily ever after.’

’I just don’t know if they faced any hardships after that.’

’A lifetime is both long and short; unexpected turns are always possible.’

Mei Wanying was not a child anymore. She knew that life was unpredictable and that people’s hearts could change, but she still hoped Heir Chen would be an exception.

The Chen Family had a strong moral code; the men of the clan were forbidden from taking concubines. The only exception was if a man was still without an heir by the age of thirty; only then could he consider taking a concubine to carry on the family line.

For men of noble houses, having multiple wives and concubines was exceedingly common.

Marrying into a family that forbade concubines was the dream of countless women.

No one could predict the future, but for the moment, Heir Chen certainly seemed to be an excellent match.

Chen Shujing didn’t answer immediately.

He turned his head to look at Xue Xingyao, his gaze lingering on her eyes for a long moment.

His gaze was fixed, as if he were looking at a precious treasure.

Xue Xingyao grew shy under his stare, and a blush crept up her cheeks.

She said, trying to sound forceful, "Ah Yin is talking to you, Heir Chen!"

She put heavy emphasis on the words "Heir Chen."

There was a hint of shyness in her voice.

And a touch of playful reproach.

’Her eyes were wide, full of a charming, innocent naivete. Anyone could see she was a girl who had never known hardship, raised in the lap of luxury.’

The light in Chen Shujing’s eyes dimmed slightly.

A faint smile touched his lips, maintaining his gentle, jade-like demeanor that made others feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze.

He cupped his hands in a salute to Mei Wanying. "I will not disappoint you, Miss Mei."

’The beauty he once knew was gone. All he could do now was think of her in his heart.’

’Besides, what else could he do?’

’Nothing at all...’