A Marriage in Name Only? My Stepbrother Won't Let Me Go Chapter 22: Ah Yan... Went to Chase Mei Wanying?

Pei Yan’s first words made i Wanying choke.

’Tattling?’

’So that’s the kind of person he thinks I am.’

i Wanying laughed self-deprecatingly. ’What kind of person I am has nothing to do with Pei Yan.’

’And what he thinks of is none of my business!’

i Wanying curtsied to Empress Gu to take her leave. "I have been away from ho for quite so ti. My mother will be worried."

Empress Gu had been wanting to discuss the matter of switching candidates with her son, so she summoned a Palace Attendant. "See the young lady of the i family out."

i Wanying curtsied once more before following the Palace Attendant out.

From start to finish, she didn’t spare Pei Yan a single glance.

’She’s really not the sa as before.’

Pei Yan hadn’t even taken a seat yet; he subconsciously started to follow i Wanying.

Empress Gu called out to stop him. "Ah Yan, wait."

The delicate figure walked out of the main hall, vanishing from his sight once more.

An inexplicable panic seized Pei Yan’s heart.

He just wanted to chase after i Wanying.

’She’s so naive and has no guile at all. The palace is full of treacherous people and prying eyes. I’d better keep an eye on her.’

’So she doesn’t offend soone and get into trouble again.’

Without turning his head, Pei Yan said, "We can talk about it later."

Empress Gu had no ti to stop him. He was already gone, his strides long and rushed. Where was the calm composure he usually had?

Empress Gu’s expression was complicated. "Ah Yan... is he going after i Wanying?"

Her trusted Palace Maid replied, "He’s probably going to settle the score with her."

"The mont His Highness entered, he accused i Wanying of coming to tattle again. His expression was cold, and he seed very displeased."

"i Wanying just left, and His Highness is leaving right after. He must be eager to go teach her a lesson."

Empress Gu’s expression grew even more complex. "He’s a grown man. Surely he wouldn’t hold a grudge against a young woman."

’So what if i Wanying ca to tattle?’

’It has no effect on him. He could have simply ignored it.’

’And yet, he chased after her...’

’i Wanying has such a great influence on him. No wonder the Crown Prince would set his sights on her.’

’Wouldn’t anyone who opposed him see i Wanying as the perfect weak point?’

Empress Gu shook her head.

’She couldn’t tell if he was setting i Wanying up as a live target to draw attention away from Xue Yunshu...’

’...or if he truly cared for i Wanying, so much so that he couldn’t control himself and seized every possible chance to get closer to her.’

As i Wanying walked, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.

She was so familiar with Pei Yan that she knew who it was without even turning around.

She could even tell his mood from the sound of his steps.

Not wanting to get entangled with him, i Wanying subconsciously quickened her pace.

"What are you running from?"

A hand seized her wrist, and the man’s chilly presence washed over her.

i Wanying frantically looked around, terrified that soone might see them and start gossiping again about how she was shalessly chasing and pestering Pei Yan.

’If that happened, a thousand explanations wouldn’t be enough to clear my na!’

The Palace Attendants escorting her were from Empress Gu’s own retinue. The mont Pei Yan appeared, they lowered their heads and backed away several steps.

i Wanying tried to shake her hand free, but the man didn’t release her. Instead, his grip tightened, his tall fra looming over her.

Pei Yan looked down at her delicate, lovely face and asked the sa question again, "What are you running from?"

i Wanying’s slender brows knitted together. She didn’t understand what Pei Yan was trying to do.

’I took the hint and left. Shouldn’t he be happy?’

"Let go."

Her voice was cold, not like before, when she would use a sweet, coquettish tone whenever she spoke to him.

’Every ti, it made my heart race and my breath catch in my throat. Only by keeping my distance could I return to normal.’

’Pei Yan didn’t like that strange sensation; he thought it was a symptom of so illness.’

But now, seeing i Wanying’s pretty face turn cold, Pei Yan still felt a sense of discomfort.

’Whenever I run into i Wanying, I can never feel at ease,’ Pei Yan thought.

And so, he released i Wanying’s hand.

His knuckles distinct, his fingers curled and then clenched into a fist. Pei Yan stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

He was tall, and beneath his brocade robes was a powerful physique. Up close, his presence was imposing.

i Wanying put so distance between them.

Her posture made it clear she was drawing a line between them.

A sullen feeling welled up in Pei Yan’s chest, and his words turned harsh. "I decided not to hold what happened the other day against you, and this is how you repay ? The guilty one playing the victim and pointing fingers first?"

’Knowing i Wanying, she must have brought up that incident, begging my mother the Empress to intervene and force to take responsibility for her.’

’All she’s ever wanted is to marry , to beco my wife.’

’Now that she finally has a chance to force my hand, I refuse to believe she wouldn’t take full advantage of it.’

He rubbed his fingers together. ’The atmosphere in the hall just now was cordial, not tense and cold like I’d imagined. The Empress must have promised her sothing.’

The man’s gaze was certain, as if to say: ’i Wanying, stop pretending. I know exactly what kind of person you are!’

Suddenly, i Wanying laughed.

There was no joy in her voice, only self-deprecation and disappointnt.

She didn’t want to show her vulnerability in front of Pei Yan, but this was the man she had loved for so many years.

She couldn’t remain indifferent when he so thoroughly misunderstood her.

A bitter, sorrowful ache filled her heart, the pain welling up as moisture and misting her eyes.

The corners of her eyes grew red and damp, creating a heart-wrenchingly pitiful sight.

i Wanying forced down the lump in her throat. "Fine, let’s just say I ca to tattle. Your Highness, may I leave now?"

’Any explanation would be useless. Pei Yan wouldn’t believe ; he’d just think I was trying to argue my way out of it.’

’Since that’s the case, why bother saying anything more?’

’Once I leave the capital, we’ll never see each other again. I’ll no longer delude myself with hopes of marrying him.’

’i Wanying no longer cared what kind of image she had in Pei Yan’s mind!’

A thin sheen of moisture veiled her almond-shaped eyes, and her gaze upon him was filled with finality.

’It was as if... as if she wanted to sever all ties with him.’

For a mont, panic flared in Pei Yan’s heart.

The sarcastic remarks he had prepared died on his lips.

He didn’t know how to soothe i Wanying to make her hold back her tears.

Frustrated, he took a step aside, no longer blocking her path.

And she walked away without the slightest hesitation, not a single word left for him.

Pei Yan’s frustration only grew.

’What’s wrong with i Wanying? Why is she crying for no reason?’

’I didn’t even scold her.’

Pei Yan followed unhurriedly behind i Wanying. Regardless of whether she walked quickly or slowly, they maintained a constant distance—not too close, not too far.

Staring at the back of i Wanying’s head, Pei Yan grew increasingly frustrated.

’I just saved her life a couple of days ago. Even if my tone was a little harsh just now, she couldn’t be this angry, could she?’

’Crying again.’

’Ignoring again.’

’Why is she so quick to anger?’

i Wanying knew Pei Yan was behind her, but she ignored him completely, not once turning back.

When she exited the palace, however, her family’s carriage was nowhere to be seen.

Pei Yan brought a fist to his lips and cleared his throat. "I sent your driver ho."

i Wanying was furious. "What gives you the right to make decisions for ?"

Pei Yan didn’t answer. "I’ll take you ho."

’The other day, he had saved a drowning i Wanying in front of everyone.’

’The matter needed to be handled properly.’

’Otherwise, what would happen if people started wagging their tongues after he left the capital?’

’After all, there’s no such thing as a perfect secret.’

’On the day it happened, Pei Yan felt he had been set up, and he was furious.’

’But two days had passed, and even his monuntal anger had faded.’

’i Wanying only wanted to marry him because she loved him. She harbored no ill intentions.’

’There was no need to be so angry with her.’

Even though Pei Yan thought this, his pride wouldn’t let him back down. "Have you looked at the list of nas? Tell who you want to marry. As your elder brother, I will certainly help you achieve it."

i Wanying let out a cold laugh.

’No wonder he was so kind as to offer to escort back to my manor.’

’He just wanted to discuss marrying off to soone else.’

"Are you in that much of a hurry?"