A Marriage in Name Only? My Stepbrother Won't Let Me Go Chapter 53: He Owes You

Pei Yan’s Jade Pendant was a real hot potato; no one wanted anything to do with it.

’Maybe I should just throw it away and pretend this never happened,’ i Wanying thought. ’If Pei Yan asks about it, I’ll just play dumb and say I never saw it.’

’If he gets angry, so be it.’

’He’s always scowling anyway, so it makes little difference whether he’s angry or not.’

’Pei Yan can’t possibly kill over a single Jade Pendant... can he?’

i Wanying looked at the Jade Pendant, then at the stream in the distance, a look of temptation on her face.

Seeing her intention, Chen Shujing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’I never thought I’d see the day Miss i would be so disgusted by one of Pei Yan’s personal belongings.’

’The sun must be rising in the west!’

’If certain people found out, they’d probably be seeing red.’

’When Pei Yan left, he looked so self-satisfied, as if he’d made up his mind about sothing.’

’He was so confident, as if he had everything under control.’

’I’m truly enjoying seeing Pei Yan eat humble pie.’

Afraid that i Wanying might actually throw the Jade Pendant away, Chen Shujing said earnestly, "This piece is engraved with the insignia of the Prince Chen Mansion. It’s a symbol of His Highness’s status. My guess is that it can be used to command his n, so you should keep it safe, Miss i."

’Knowing Pei Yan, that man has probably already arranged for his n to protect Miss i in secret.’

’But it’s a sha he won’t tell her himself. Miss i has no idea what his true intentions are.’

’In the end, all his efforts will likely be for naught.’

Chen Shujing didn’t know what to make of Pei Yan. ’It wouldn’t have taken him that long. What would have been the harm in explaining things clearly to Miss i before leaving for the Border?’

’Now that he’s gone, there’s no telling when he’ll be back.’

’Does he really think Miss i is so hopelessly devoted to him that she’ll just wait for him forever?’

’The one who is loved is always fearless. One can only imagine how much love Miss i must have given him in the past.’

’It’s the only reason he could be so certain that even if he were gone for a long ti, Miss i would still be waiting for him.’

Chen Shujing said, "Once you’re in Jiangnan, you’ll have to rely on yourself for everything. If you run into any difficult people, try showing them His Highness’s Jade Pendant. It might work wonders."

Xue Xingyao clapped her hands. "Brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that!"

’That damn Pei Yan is finally good for sothing.’

Everyone knows about the relationship between Pei Yan and the i family. For Ah Yin to have his Jade Pendant is like having a protective Amulet.

"The mountains are high and the emperor is far away," as they say, but anyone who wants to harm her will still have to think twice.

’It’s like the fox borrowing the tiger’s might. If she can protect herself by flying Pei Yan’s banner, why not?’

Xue Xingyao said, "Just take it. This is what Pe—... His Highness owes you."

’After all, that scoundrel almost kissed Ah Yin.’

’If I hadn’t caught him in the act, Pei Yan would have devoured her whole.’

’He’s infuriating!’

Afraid i Wanying would notice sothing was amiss, Xue Xingyao explained, "He was raised by your family and carefully cultivated by Uncle i. He owes you all."

i Wanying pressed her lips together. "That was my father’s choice. He never expected Pei Yan to repay him for anything."

’Pei Yan worked hard to make us proud. The military honors he earned when he first began to make a na for himself were exchanged for many treasures.’

’All those treasures are in the i family’s vaults.’

They had known each other for too long, their lives too deeply entangled. It was all a tangled ss, impossible to unravel who owed what to whom.

The best solution was to sever the ties completely.

Xue Xingyao insisted, "Even if he doesn’t owe the i family, he still owes *you*! He... he’s just stringing you along!"

Chen Shujing shook his head in resignation.

’If she keeps this up, Miss i is going to get suspicious.’

Clearing his throat, he put in a good word for Pei Yan. "His Highness has been on campaign for years. As far as I can tell, you’re the only young woman he really knows, Miss i. It’s hardly surprising that he doesn’t know how to interact with ladies."

Chen Shujing added, "If he were *too* good at charming won, now *that* would be a real cause for concern."

There was nothing wrong with his words on the surface, but Xue Xingyao still shot Chen Shujing a suspicious glance.

’He’s so tactful and well-mannered, treating everyone with a gentle courtesy. He’s nothing like the cold, aloof Pei Yan, who either ignores you or verbally suffocates you.’

’Soone so agreeable and easy to get along with must be popular with the ladies, right?’

The marriage between the Xue and Chen Families was about matching status. Xue Xingyao told herself not to overthink it.

’Chen Shujing is in his twenties. It’s only natural that he’d have a past.’

’As long as he treats well and is faithful after we’re married, I won’t pry into what ca before.’

Letting out an imperceptible sigh, Xue Xingyao squeezed i Wanying’s hand, pressing the Jade Pendant firmly into her palm.

"If you run into trouble, don’t try to handle it all by yourself. Find a way to contact Pei Yan. He won’t abandon you."

She had to admit it: no matter where Ah Yin went, the one person in the world who could best protect her was Pei Yan.

As long as Pei Yan stood strong, Ah Yin would always have her protector.

But if Pei Yan were to fall, Ah Yin... would likely face disaster as well.

The i family and Pei Yan were too closely tied. Uncle i’s forr subordinates were now Pei Yan’s supporters.

Even if Ah Yin had let go of Pei Yan and no longer wished to marry him, the political reality was that to the outside world, she and Pei Yan were in the sa camp.

Pei Yan had to defeat the Crown Prince.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be the only one to suffer!

i Wanying was no fool; of course she understood the situation.

’No matter what anyone else thinks, I won’t be seeing Pei Yan again.’

She rubbed the Jade Pendant in her palm. ’If Pei Yan writes to ask about it, I’ll just mail it back to him.’

’If he doesn’t bring it up, then I’ll just pretend it doesn’t exist.’

The Chen Family and the Xue Family were preparing to finalize the marriage arrangents. If all went well, it wouldn’t be long before their wedding.

Since i Wanying was going to Jiangnan, a long journey away, she knew she wouldn’t be able to attend their wedding.

She looked at Chen Shujing and said earnestly, "Heir Chen, Ah Yao is my dearest friend. She is sincere, pure-hearted, and incredibly loyal. Managing a household will be second nature to her. I hope you will cherish her and never give her a reason to cry."

’In my last life, before I died, Ah Yao and Heir Chen had lived happily ever after.’

’I just don’t know if they faced any hardships after that.’

’A lifeti is both long and short; unexpected turns are always possible.’

i Wanying was not a child anymore. She knew that life was unpredictable and that people’s hearts could change, but she still hoped Heir Chen would be an exception.

The Chen Family had a strong moral code; the n of the clan were forbidden from taking concubines. The only exception was if a man was still without an heir by the age of thirty; only then could he consider taking a concubine to carry on the family line.

For n of noble houses, having multiple wives and concubines was exceedingly common.

Marrying into a family that forbade concubines was the dream of countless won.

No one could predict the future, but for the mont, Heir Chen certainly seed to be an excellent match.

Chen Shujing didn’t answer imdiately.

He turned his head to look at Xue Xingyao, his gaze lingering on her eyes for a long mont.

His gaze was fixed, as if he were looking at a precious treasure.

Xue Xingyao grew shy under his stare, and a blush crept up her cheeks.

She said, trying to sound forceful, "Ah Yin is talking to you, Heir Chen!"

She put heavy emphasis on the words "Heir Chen."

There was a hint of shyness in her voice.

And a touch of playful reproach.

’Her eyes were wide, full of a charming, innocent naivete. Anyone could see she was a girl who had never known hardship, raised in the lap of luxury.’

The light in Chen Shujing’s eyes dimd slightly.

A faint smile touched his lips, maintaining his gentle, jade-like deanor that made others feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze.

He cupped his hands in a salute to i Wanying. "I will not disappoint you, Miss i."

’The beauty he once knew was gone. All he could do now was think of her in his heart.’

’Besides, what else could he do?’

’Nothing at all...’