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

Mei Wanying was anxious to terminate the pregnancy, but her body had never fully recovered its strength. The doctor worried that a forced termination might leave her unable to have children in the future.

This was a momentous matter, allowing no room for carelessness.

He once again explained the situation to Mei Wanying and Mrs. Mei.

As for what choice they would make, that was not something he could influence.

"Terminating a pregnancy requires harsh, potent medicine that is extremely damaging to the body. Setting aside the Young Lady’s weak constitution, even a woman in robust health might not be able to withstand the consequences."

Mrs. Mei understood this.

Some women of the inner quarters had drunk such abortifacients and were left with chronic health problems, never able to bear children again.

Others had bled to death as a result.

The more she understood, the more indecisive Mrs. Mei became.

She even started to think, ’Maybe we should keep the child.’

This was Ah Yin’s bloodline. Boy or girl, it would still be a descendant to carry on the Mei family line.

The doctor continued, "The Young Lady caught a severe chill when she fell into the water last time, making it truly difficult for her to conceive. Only a few months have passed since then. To use such potent medicine again... I’m genuinely afraid she won’t be able to endure it!"

Mrs. Mei herself had suffered the distress of having difficulty conceiving when she was young. She knew how difficult it was and the immense psychological toll it took on a woman.

Fortunately, she had a loving husband and had given birth to a sweet, devoted daughter.

No matter how harsh the rumors and gossip, she had endured it all.

But Ah Yin was different.

She had suffered so much, and her future was still uncertain.

If she lost even the chance to be a mother, what would she do then?

Keeping this child might attract trouble.

But not keeping it would also lead to endless future troubles.

In Mrs. Mei’s view, troubles could be dealt with, but if her daughter’s body was ruined, the damage might be irreversible.

In the current situation, she no longer wanted her daughter to marry, lest the matter be exposed and she suffer abuse at the hands of her in-laws.

Once things settled down completely, if Ah Yin agreed, she would find her a sensible live-in son-in-law.

If the live-in son-in-law didn’t know his place, they would simply have him divorced and thrown out of the Mei family.

Who was to say Wanying couldn’t be happy raising a child on her own?

She dismissed the doctor. "I’ll discuss it further with Ah Yin."

After the doctor left, Ding Xiang voluntarily went to stand guard at the door.

Mrs. Mei gave Nanny Liu a look, and Nanny Liu immediately said to Mei Wanying, "Young Lady, why don’t we keep the child?"

Mei Wanying rejected the idea without hesitation.

’If I keep this child, Pei Yan and I will be inextricably entangled!’

’I can’t just hide the child away.’

’I might be able to hide it for a while, but not forever!’

"Compared to all that, your health is more important, Young Lady." Nanny Liu persuaded her earnestly, "The child is connected to you by blood. It is not just Prince Chen’s child, but your own flesh and blood."

"Just think of it as having the child for yourself. It has nothing to do with anyone else. This is your child, and yours alone!"

Mei Wanying frowned. "Mother, you think so too?"

She asked, but in her heart, she already knew the answer. This was her mother’s true intention.

’Otherwise, how would Nanny Liu dare suggest such a thing?’

Mrs. Mei’s expression was sorrowful. "I’m afraid something will happen to you. You’re my whole world. If anything were to happen to you, how could I go on living?"

Mei Wanying said in a low voice, "And childbirth isn’t dangerous?"

’From the moment of conception, the mother’s body is already at greater risk.’

’You can’t have any bumps.’

’You can’t have any jolts.’

’The slightest action could have severe consequences.’

’Not to mention the final ordeal of giving birth.’

’The old saying goes that giving birth is like passing through the gates of hell. How could it not be dangerous?’

Mrs. Mei replied, "That’s different. There’s hope in childbirth. I have experienced how blissful it is to be a mother, and I wouldn’t lie to you."

Childbirth versus abortion—the former holds the hope of life, while the latter is filled with despair.

Since she had to face danger either way, why choose the path that broke both her heart and body?

If they kept the child, watching it grow day by day would heal the wounds in Wanying’s heart.

Compared to one’s own flesh and blood, what did a man matter?

Mrs. Mei’s eyes firmed with resolve. "I know what you’re afraid of. When the child is born, we’ll say... we’ll say it’s an orphan we’ve adopted. We’ll register the child under my name. Pei Yan can’t possibly try to snatch away someone else’s child."

Mei Wanying’s pupils dilated. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

’I’m not surprised Mother is trying to persuade me to keep the child. To the older generation, nothing is more important than having an heir!’

’But to give birth to my child only to disown it... I can’t do that.’

"Mother, no!"

’If I choose to give birth to this child, I have to accept the responsibilities of being a mother.’

’To disown my child on one hand while claiming it’s an adopted orphan on the other, as if I were some great saint...’

’It’s just so hypocritical.’

’I will never agree to it!’

Mrs. Mei knew her daughter’s temperament. She couldn’t tolerate a single flaw, and her loves and hates were clearly defined.

Whatever path she chose, she would bear the consequences alone, no matter what they were.

How could Mrs. Mei bear to let the daughter she had raised so delicately carry such a heavy burden?

Besides, this whole affair had started because of her. If she hadn’t been so foolish, her daughter wouldn’t be trapped in this impossible dilemma.

Changing a child’s identity was not an uncommon practice in the inner quarters. Mrs. Mei thought it was a viable plan.

"I won’t harm you. Just listen to me this once."

Nanny Liu chimed in, "If the child is registered under the madam’s name, you can see the child every day. You won’t be separated from your own flesh and blood, and you won’t have to worry about gossip."

With the child not under the Young Lady’s name, it would be much easier for her to marry or find a live-in husband in the future.

In Nanny Liu’s opinion, a young lady simply had to get married.

The Mei family was prominent and powerful. Even if the Young Lady had lost her honor, plenty of men would still be eager to marry up into her family.

The more Nanny Liu spoke, the paler Mei Wanying’s face became. "We are the ones who made the mistake. Even if people spit on us and curse us, it’s what we deserve. What did the child do wrong, to have its very origin falsified?"

"If we’re going to erase this ’stain,’ then we might as well just get rid of it completely and be done with it all!"

When she became agitated, Mrs. Mei grew frightened.

After all, she had seen what Wanying was capable of. She dared to do anything. If she didn’t have a weakness, Mrs. Mei feared she would be capable of tearing down the heavens.

’That temper of hers... she gets it from her father!’

She quickly tried to soothe her. "I don’t think of it as a stain. I’m just afraid that the child will be young and sensitive, and might be hurt by rumors. It would be better to hide it for now and tell the child the truth in a few years."

The conversation inside the room continued, while outside, Ding Xiang’s mouth was hanging open in shock.

’The child is actually Prince Chen’s!’

’But doesn’t he dislike the Young Lady? Doesn’t he want to stay as far away from her as possible?’

’How... how on earth did he get her pregnant?!’

This was an answer Ding Xiang could never have imagined, even if she’d wracked her brain. To her, this was as unbelievable as the sun rising in the west!

But on second thought, there were many times the Young Lady went to see Prince Chen and told her not to come along.

Suddenly, it all started to make sense.

’It’s all Pei Yan’s fault for being so cold to the Young Lady. He always acts so aloof and uninterested in women, like some ascetic monk.’

’Who knew he was like that in private?’

’He acts so aloof around women, but behind the scenes, he devoured our young lady whole.’

’No wonder the Young Lady is so hopelessly devoted to him. Could it be... he seduced her long ago, making it impossible for her to leave him?’

Ding Xiang’s thoughts ran wild.

She suddenly remembered something, and a jolt went through her.

’The medicine!’

’On the anniversary of the General’s death, the Young Lady complained of abdominal pain. The medicine she took was the one Prince Chen went to get for her.’

’If I’m counting the days right, that must be when she got pregnant!’