A Marriage in Name Only? My Stepbrother Won't Let Me Go Chapter 166: A Father’s Status Through His Daughter

Regarding i Wanying’s assessnt, Pei Yan put on a proud air. "Whatever you say, goes. I’ll listen to you."

’So what if I’m a stubborn mule?’

’Besides, Ling is pretty stubborn too. With her in the family, this father and daughter pair will have sothing in common.’

Thinking of his daughter, the look in Pei Yan’s eyes softened.

’Ling is cute even when she’s being stubborn. No wonder Ah Yin treasures her so much.’

’As the saying goes, when you love soone, you love everything about them,’ the man thought. ’Ah Yin’s love for Ling is just another way of loving .’

’The more she dotes on our daughter, the higher my own status will beco.’

’I’ll rise in status because of my daughter!’

i Wanying said, "Then take with you."

Pei Yan refused without a mont’s hesitation. "No."

i Wanying was not the least bit surprised by this.

She scoffed, a look of ’I knew it’ in her eyes. "You’re full of nothing but empty words. If you can’t do it, why make it sound so good in the first place?"

’One second he says he’ll listen to , and the next he’s rejecting my suggestion.’

’Isn’t that just a classic case of contradicting himself?’

’And he doesn’t even have the decency to look embarrassed. He’s completely shaless. His skin is as thick as a city wall.’

’Not a single true word cos out of that man’s mouth. Good thing I didn’t fall for his "sweet nothings"!’

Pei Yan cleared his throat, feeling a pang of guilt. "I’ll listen to you... on everything except this."

i Wanying’s expression was blank as she said, "Go back to the Capital City, and never appear before again."

Pei Yan: "..."

’How is that possible!’

’My wife and daughter are here. If I go back to the Capital City by myself, won’t I be all alone?’

The man’s voice was weak. "That has to be an exception, too..."

’Ah Yin hasn’t forgiven yet. If I just up and leave, her resolve to leave for good will be even stronger the next ti I return.’

’And Ling will forget . She won’t recognize as her father anymore.’

’I can’t let that happen.’

Seeing the man’s guilt-ridden face, i Wanying really wanted to scratch him.

"This is a no, that’s a no... You’re only happy when everyone is following your orders."

"If that’s the case, why bother putting on an act? In the end, it’s always your word that’s final."

Pei Yan explained, "I’m just afraid you’ll get hurt."

i Wanying retorted, "Then you shouldn’t have co to Jiangnan!"

’If Pei Yan hadn’t co to bother , I wouldn’t have all this trouble.’

’I might have already found a husband to marry into the family. The only things I’d need to worry about would be managing the family business and social obligations.’

’Not like now, where I have to worry about my entire family’s lives.’

Pei Yan held imnse power. Wherever he went, the people around him were thrust into the eye of the storm, attracting unwanted attention.

’If I wanted power and influence, then this would be the price I’d have to pay.’

’But I don’t want it!’

The hall fell silent. Pei Yan looked dejected, not knowing how to refute i Wanying’s words.

’Everything she said was the truth.’

’But being forced to stay away from Ah Yin completely... that would be a death sentence.’

’The only thing I can do is protect her—and the people she cares about—with everything I have.’

Mrs. i gave a soft cough and stepped forward to smooth things over.

’Pei Yan is the Crown Prince, after all. The only reason Ah Yin can be so disrespectful is because she’s confident in his affection for her.’

’But she can’t go too far.’

"Ah Yin, His Highness is only trying to protect you. If malicious people want to cause us trouble, that is their fault. We should deal with one thing at a ti and not conflate the two."

’If we’re really going to assign bla, it was the General who brought Pei Yan ho in the first place, which led to everything that followed.’

’Dredging all that up is pointless. Solving the problem at hand is what matters.’

Then she turned to Pei Yan and said, "Ah Yin is scared. She’s afraid Ling and I will get hurt. She won’t be able to rest easy until that traitor is dead and gone."

"She’s anxious, so her words are barbed. Your Highness, please don’t take it to heart."

Pei Yan shook his head. "Ah Yin is right. I’m the one who brought this trouble."

A sharp glint flashed in the man’s eyes. ’From now on, if anyone even thinks of targeting Ah Yin, I’ll snuff out the idea at the first sign.’

’A situation like this must never happen again!’

i Wanying also knew she had crossed a line. Pei Yan was a mber of the Royal Family, after all. ’Didn’t I only dare to say those things because I was sure he wouldn’t hold it against ?’

She bit her lip, a hint of remorse showing on her face.

Her attitude softened. "I cherish my life too. I won’t act rashly."

Mrs. i countered, "Making this request is acting rashly!"

’I would rather die myself than let my daughter take such a risk! This is the child I brought into the world through so much hardship—she is my life!’

i Wanying glanced at Pei Yan and said, "I trust His Highness."

’He can take an enemy general’s head from amidst a thousand soldiers and ten thousand horses. Surely he can protect my life.’

Pei Yan couldn’t make up his mind, ultimately because he cared too much about i Wanying.

’He couldn’t accept her suffering even the slightest harm.’

’Caring too much had tied his hands.’

Seeing that Pei Yan didn’t imdiately object, i Wanying pressed, "I’ll stick to you like glue. That should be fine, right?"

Pei Yan asked in return, "Really?"

i Wanying: "Really."

’If sothing happened to Pei Yan, then whether I left the city or not, there would be no good ending for .’

"You’re the one Pei Yu hates the most. If anyone’s going to die, it’ll be you first."

Pei Yan: "..."

i Wanying continued, "If we run into danger, I’ll definitely play for ti with the villain, directing him to kill you so I can find a chance to survive."

Pei Yan: "..."

’It was a good thing she was thinking this way, but Pei Yan still felt a pang in his heart.’

To make it worse, i Wanying looked completely serious. She really ant it; she wasn’t just saying it to twist the knife.

Pei Yan looked aggrieved. ’Does Ah Yin really not care about anymore?’

’I’m her husband!’

’I’m Lingling’s father!’

’If she dares not to care, I’ll...’

’I’ll what?’ Pei Yan couldn’t think of anything. These days, he no longer dared to force Ah Yin’s hand.

Mrs. i shot i Wanying a reproachful look. ’This child is spouting nonsense again.’

’Why does she beco so irrational whenever she’s with Pei Yan?’

’She’s not usually like this.’

Just as she was about to say sothing, Pei Yan spoke first. He told i Wanying earnestly, "No matter what danger you face, don’t give up easily. As long as I’m alive, I will save you."

He said, "There’s a solution to every predicant. Even if it seems like a dead end, I need you to hold on."

Pei Yan’s expression was more serious than she had ever seen it.

i Wanying’s heart trembled. For so reason, she felt there was a hidden aning in his words.

"I won’t give up."

’I’ve died once before. I cherish my life dearly now and won’t give it up so easily.’

’I have my mother, Ling, and my friends...’

’If sothing happened to , my loved ones would be the ones to suffer.’

i Wanying couldn’t help but wonder about her previous life. ’When Mother received the news of my fate back then, I don’t know if she could have borne it.’

She looked at Mrs. i apologetically. "Mother, I’ve made you worry again."

Mrs. i murmured to herself, "This temper of yours is exactly like your father’s. Afraid of nothing, and once you’ve made up your mind, not even ten bulls could drag you back. You call His Highness a stubborn mule, but aren’t you one yourself?"

’Mrs. i had always considered herself a timid person. From the day she married the General, she was constantly on edge for him.’

’After she had a daughter, she was always afraid her child would be hard.’

’She was always cautious, weighing every pro and con, wanting only for her daughter to be well.’

’But the older Wanying grew, the more her temper resembled her father’s.’

’Don’t be fooled by her appearance as a delicate woman—she’s all nerve and fears nothing!’

Mrs. i entrusted her to Pei Yan. "Your Highness, I beg you, please protect Ah Yin and keep her safe. Ling is still so young; she can’t be without Ah Yin."