[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-marriage-in-name-only-my-stepbrother-won-t-let":3,"chapter-a-marriage-in-name-only-my-stepbrother-won-t-let-a-marriage-in-name-only-my-stepbrother-won-t-let-chapter-153":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","A Marriage in Name Only? My Stepbrother Won't Let Me Go",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1326529,1761,"Chapter 153: No Overnight Grudges in a Family","a-marriage-in-name-only-my-stepbrother-won-t-let-chapter-153",153,"\u003Cp>The man’s footsteps were heavy and frantic. Hearing the commotion, Mei Wanying and Ling both looked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former looked displeased, while the latter had a look of confusion, even forgetting to drink her milk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Wanying thought it was one of the servants causing trouble and was about to scold them to be more composed and less clumsy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the person who came in was a tall figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Wanying jumped in fright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hurriedly turned her body to the side, her slender fingers tightly pulling her open lapels closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the same motion, she held her daughter tighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she turned her head to look again, she saw that the visitor was Pei Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Wanying was both shocked and furious. Her reason vanished in an instant as she picked up a porcelain cup from the table. \"Get out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding Ling with one arm, she threw the porcelain cup with the other, and her hastily closed robe fell open again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Wanying’s face flushed red. She clutched her lapels again, not daring to let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All she could do was glare daggers at Pei Yan. If looks could kill, he would have been torn to shreds by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yan was stunned, frozen on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had practiced martial arts for years and followed General Mei on campaigns everywhere, developing extremely sharp eyesight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fleeting scenery was branded into his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every detail was so clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yan’s chest tightened. His throat suddenly felt parched, and his palms grew hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The porcelain cup hit him with a dull THUD, then fell to the ground and shattered into several pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yan finally snapped back to his senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instinctively turned to close the door behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dazedly, he thought, ’Thank goodness it was me who came in. No one else can see Ah Yin like that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Not even Ding Xiang and the others.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door was closed, but Pei Yan didn’t leave. Mei Wanying was so angry she could have coughed up blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren’t you going to get out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yan’s reason finally returned. Although they were married, Ah Yin didn’t acknowledge him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she forbade him from getting close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’He was already Ah Yin’s man. They had been intimate and even had a child together.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’But now he was being cast aside, leaving only the child behind. Was there a more pitiful man in the world?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bitter sorrow filled Pei Yan’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said in a muffled voice, \"I’m not looking, you can relax. I’ll leave after I clean up the fragments.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’He actually wanted to be a lecher and openly stare at Ah Yin.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’But he knew in his heart that if he really did that, Ah Yin wouldn’t stop at just throwing things at him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Can’t make Ah Yin angry...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yan crouched down, his well-defined fingers picking up the broken porcelain shards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up the large pieces, then carefully checked for tiny fragments, showing no disgust as he pinched them up one by one with the pads of his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Ah Yin’s eyesight isn’t good. I have to clean this up completely. If she accidentally steps on a piece, she’ll definitely get hurt.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s meek and submissive appearance made Mei Wanying’s anger flare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you incapable of understanding me? I told you to get out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But someone else was the one who couldn’t understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling was still little. Although she couldn’t understand what Mei Wanying was saying, she could understand an adult’s tone of voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Wanying had hurled a few harsh words at Pei Yan, and her tone was fierce. Ling thought her mother was scolding her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, she started to cry for real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was crying her heart out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears rolled down her face, her little face scrunched up, revealing her toothless gums.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever Ling cried, her eyes and nose would turn red, making her look unbearably pitiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her daughter’s heartbroken cries were like a knife to Mei Wanying’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Wanying hated Pei Yan to death!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she didn’t dare scold him anymore, afraid she would frighten her daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stared at coldly by Mei Wanying, Pei Yan felt he had caused a disaster and didn’t dare provoke her further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After cleaning up the fragments, he was about to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ling started crying even louder, turning her head in his direction and stretching out her short little arms, wanting him to hold her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yan tentatively took a step forward. Mei Wanying’s gaze grew colder, and he didn’t dare to advance any further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He steeled his heart and turned away. His daughter’s cries became shrill; she couldn’t speak, so this was the only way she could express herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the baby’s mind, she had been scolded by her mommy, so she wanted her daddy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was normal, but Mei Wanying still felt awful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Her own daughter, whom she had gone through so much to give birth to... Pei Yan had only visited a few times, and now he was going to steal Ling away from her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bitterness and frustration welled up in her heart, and she, too, began to cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Mei Wanying’s ragged inhale, Pei Yan no longer hesitated and strode toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took Ling from Mei Wanying’s arms, cradled the baby in the crook of one arm, and picked up a shawl, clumsily draping it over Mei Wanying’s shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He covered the porcelain-white skin revealed on her chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’No matter how much of a beast he was, he wouldn’t be thinking about that sort of thing at a time like this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Wanying didn’t want Pei Yan near her. The moment he finished draping the shawl, she flung it off and fumbled with her sash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yan draped it over her again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She flung it off again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his wife and daughter both crying, Pei Yan’s heart was about to break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While rocking the baby in his arm, he took out a handkerchief and tried to wipe Mei Wanying’s tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Wanying’s vision blurred with tears. She didn’t want to cry, but she just couldn’t control her emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Whether in her past life or this one, her emotions were always stirred up by Pei Yan.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Mei Wanying hated this version of herself.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’She shouldn’t let her emotions be provoked by Pei Yan, shouldn’t be influenced by him anymore!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’And her Ling shouldn’t be dependent on Pei Yan either...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more she thought, the more wronged she felt, and her tears flowed like a waterfall, impossible to stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the handkerchief dabbing gently at her face, Mei Wanying slapped Pei Yan’s hand away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can you just stay away from me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yan didn’t answer, only coaxed her in a soft voice, \"Don’t cry. When you cry, Lingling cries nonstop too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’He wanted to say that it pained him to see mother and daughter crying, but he was truly no good at saying sweet things.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’No matter how gentle his tone, the words that came out were always dry and plain.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Mei Wanying’s ears, his words sounded no different from a complaint against her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then take her and go!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yan didn’t go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he wouldn’t let Ling go either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’A family shouldn’t hold grudges overnight. This was a lesson he had learned at a terrible price.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Say whatever angry things you need to say. Lingling can’t understand anyway. I’m her father. Even if the sky falls, I should be the one to hold it up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Pei Yan spoke, he shifted how he was holding the child, letting his daughter’s little head rest against Mei Wanying’s arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the little one snuggled up against her, how could Mei Wanying say anything cruel?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could only cry silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her beautiful eyes had turned completely red, and a dull ache spread through Pei Yan’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’He didn’t want Ah Yin to cry.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’But he was terrible at comforting her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could only place his hopes in Ling. He lifted his daughter up high and used her little hand to wipe Mei Wanying’s tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling, who had been crying sadly, suddenly stopped wailing. Her big, tear-filled eyes looked at her own little hand in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking her mommy and daddy were playing with her, she let out a happy little grunt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his daughter open her little \"claws,\" Pei Yan was quick to react, gently holding her chubby fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No scratching!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling thought she was being scolded again. Her mouth crumpled, and she started wailing once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, she stretched her hands out for Mei Wanying to hold her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She even kicked her little feet a few times, trying to struggle out of Pei Yan’s arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mei Wanying watched, the corners of her mouth twitching a few times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took a deep breath to keep herself from laughing out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Crying one moment and laughing the next, how embarrassing!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She shot the father and daughter a glare. \"Can you two stop being so annoying!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning away, she lay down on the chaise lounge, no longer looking at Pei Yan and Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>",1506,"2026-06-05T19:26:55.507Z",1,"novelbin.me","026aa3fbf049366704c799db8c8f9b33b1afc8b159b52eb3947c88ec6eedfce3","a-marriage-in-name-only-my-stepbrother-won-t-let-chapter-154","a-marriage-in-name-only-my-stepbrother-won-t-let-chapter-152",175,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-marriage-in-name-only-my-stepbrother-won-t-let-cover.jpg"]