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

The moment Pei Yan finished speaking, a pillow slammed into his face.

Mei Wanying was furious, not holding back in the slightest.

If the pillow hadn’t been so soft and harmless, he might have been left battered and bleeding.

Pei Yan was in disbelief. "Mei Wanying, you dare hit me?"

As his words faded, a fragrant scent wafted toward him.

Before Pei Yan could even identify the fragrance, Mei Wanying’s palm connected.

"SLAP!"

The man’s face took a heavy slap.

Pei Yan was stunned by the blow.

’This wasn’t how he’d imagined it. Mei Wanying was supposed to hug him and tell him how worried she’d been, how much she’d missed him.’

’Why did she hit him the moment she saw him?’

’It was so dark in the room, yet she still managed to find her bearings and slap him squarely on the face.’

’Just great!’

Pei Yan pushed his tongue against the inside of his cheek and touched the spot Mei Wanying had struck. "So obedient. I tell you to hit me, and you really do it. Since you listened so well, I’ll let it slide this time."

His tone abruptly shifted, taking on a threatening edge. "But if there’s a next time, I won’t be so lenient."

Mei Wanying’s chest heaved with anger.

A man on the brink of death had suddenly appeared by her side, only to frighten her like that.

And it wasn’t just that he’d scared her; he was acting so nonchalant about it.

’He was truly detestable.’

’Just like before, always making others miserable!’

The more nonchalant Pei Yan acted, the hotter the fire of Mei Wanying’s anger burned.

’Wasn’t he supposed to be dying?’

’Why come here just to provoke her?!’

Unable to stomach her anger, she located him by the sound of his breathing and slapped Pei Yan again.

She used all her strength, and her palm went numb from the impact.

"Get out!"

Pei Yan’s face stung, and he pressed his thin lips together, wanting to tell Mei Wanying to stop being angry.

But he didn’t know what to say to coax her into a better mood.

The commotion inside alarmed the maid at the door. "Miss, is something wrong?"

As she spoke, she moved to enter the room and check.

The man sat there, perfectly composed, completely unafraid of being seen.

But it was a different matter for Mei Wanying.

That maid belonged to Empress Gu. If they found out Pei Yan had come to see her, she would become a thorn in the Empress’s side.

Mei Wanying didn’t know why Pei Yan had come, nor did she want to guess his intentions.

But one thing was certain: if she stood in the way of Pei Yan’s grand ambitions, the Empress would act on behalf of her own son and eliminate her.

The fact that she’d been excluded from the list for the recent flower-viewing banquet already said it all.

She couldn’t win the Empress’s favor; in the other woman’s eyes, she was nothing but a stumbling block.

If she didn’t know what was good for her and insisted on getting entangled with Pei Yan, the Empress wouldn’t let her off easy.

Judging by Pei Yan’s behavior, he still didn’t know about the child.

This proved that Empress Gu wanted to hide it not only from outsiders, but from Pei Yan as well.

In a flash, Mei Wanying understood her situation.

Her only path to safety was to quell the situation and minimize her presence.

With a CREAK, the door opened a crack from the outside. The maid, holding a lantern, was about to enter and light the lamps.

Mei Wanying snapped, "Get out!"

The maid stopped outside the door and asked, "Miss, did you have a nightmare?"

"Yes."

Her voice was weary. "Wait outside. I want to sleep a little longer."

The maid acknowledged the order and closed the door again.

Pei Yan, sitting by the bed, had naturally grabbed Mei Wanying’s wrist after being slapped.

Her skin was delicate and smooth, soft as if boneless. Pei Yan wanted to grip her tightly, but he was afraid of breaking her hand.

He could only hold it gingerly.

Afraid of startling Mei Wanying, he suppressed the urge to caress it.

A wave of satisfaction washed over Pei Yan.

He was Mei Wanying’s child husband. He should have been holding these hands ever since she came of age.

’Why did they have to waste so many years?’

Mei Wanying struggled, and Pei Yan, lost in his pleasant thoughts, instinctively tightened his grip on her wrist.

The man’s grip was strong; Mei Wanying couldn’t break free.

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

Mei Wanying kept her voice low, but she couldn’t hide the teeth-gritting fury in her tone.

Her tone was impatient; just moments ago, she had slapped him twice.

Pei Yan felt a little wronged. Instead of answering, he asked, "Why did you hit me?"

"You asked for it!"

Pei Yan felt even more wronged. ’The old Mei Wanying wouldn’t have slapped him a second time.’

’She would have slapped him once to vent her anger, and then she would have cried and hugged him.’

’Furious with him, yet her heart aching for him—that was the old Mei Wanying.’

’But now she had slapped him twice and looked like she wanted to do it a third time.’

Her big, round eyes were glaring at him, and even though he knew she couldn’t see in the dark, her stare still made the hair on his back stand up.

He felt even more aggrieved.

’Was he really that unwelcome to Mei Wanying?’

’She wasn’t like this before. Gu Xun must have incited her.’

’Just as I thought. I can’t let Mei Wanying have contact with other men.’

Pei Yan took a quiet breath, restraining the urge to go settle the score with someone.

Jiangnan was too far from the Capital City. The situation there could change at any moment, and he didn’t have much time.

It was rare for him to see Mei Wanying; he couldn’t afford to waste time.

’Once I get back to the Capital City, I’ll find the right time to have that man transferred. Then Gu Xun naturally won’t be able to see Mei Wanying anymore.’

Mei Wanying was young; it was understandable that she’d been deceived by an outsider. Pei Yan decided to forgive her.

Releasing Mei Wanying’s wrist, Pei Yan moved to lift the blanket, wanting to see what she was hiding underneath.

The blanket was resting at Mei Wanying’s waistline. From the moment Pei Yan had appeared, she had been deliberately protecting her stomach.

Feeling another tug on the blanket, Mei Wanying’s heart leaped into her throat.

’I absolutely cannot let Pei Yan find out about the child!’

’Even if I can’t hide it forever, I have to hide it for at least two or three years.’

’By then, he’ll already be married, and he might even have a few children of his own. He certainly won’t try to fight me for anything.’

Mei Wanying knew Pei Yan’s temperament. The consequence of revealing her pregnancy would be him taking responsibility for her, and then, just like in her past life, giving her the cold shoulder.

Even if he didn’t love her, he would never let her get an abortion.

’Since that’s the case, why should I reveal my pregnant belly to him?’

’It would only cause more trouble.’

Mei Wanying held the blanket down, her tone distant yet tinged with a hint of pleading. "Aren’t you about to marry someone? Can you please stay away from me?"

’So that’s what’s bothering her.’

Pei Yan felt he was being taken seriously, and his mood improved greatly.

He tentatively patted the top of Mei Wanying’s head. "I’m not marrying them."

Mei Wanying leaned back, avoiding the man’s touch.

She sounded weary. "Whether you marry them or not is your business. Can you just stay away from me?"

Pei Yan stared at his empty palm.

He scoffed. "You’re the one who provoked me first. You have to take full responsibility."

Mei Wanying was too furious to speak, able only to guard her stomach with everything she had.

The wide cuffs of her nightgown had slipped down to her elbows, revealing a snowy-white wrist.

In his dreams, that snowy-white wrist would be wrapped around his neck or clinging to his shoulder.

Other times, it would be wrapped around his waist.

Pei Yan averted his gaze, forcing himself not to look at her delicate figure any longer.

He said seriously, "There won’t be anyone else."

’He had already figured it out. Mei Wanying was the most important thing, and he wouldn’t compromise for the sake of the bigger picture and marry another woman.’

’If he won, he would make Mei Wanying his Crown Princess Consort, and in the future, his Empress!’ 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

’If he lost... he would arrange a way out for Mei Wanying, ensuring she could live a good life.’

Pei Yan’s expression grew solemn. The overall situation was still undecided; he couldn’t marry Mei Wanying yet.

’Fortunately, that day wasn’t far off.’

He wouldn’t make Mei Wanying wait too long.

Pei Yan didn’t make a direct promise, saying instead, "When this is all over, I’ll come get you and bring you back to the Capital City."

When Mei Wanying had returned to Jiangnan, he hadn’t been able to escort her personally.

When she returned to the Capital City, he would come to get her himself.