Pei Yan had made up his mind. He was going to impose himself on the Mei family.

This was the closest he could be to Mei Wanying, and he wouldn’t leave even if it killed him.

Unless Ah Yin left with him.

After taking the antidote, Pei Yan made his way to the front courtyard.

He had yet to see Ling.

She was Mei Wanying’s daughter, so she had to be just as innocent and lovely.

As Pei Yan pictured his daughter’s face, what appeared in his mind instead was Mei Wanying as a little girl.

She had her hair in two topknots, her little face round and adorable. It was only later, when she grew up and lost her baby fat, that her face became a perfect oval.

No matter what she looked like, she was always beautiful.

’Ling must look exactly like Ah Yin did as a child.’

’Perhaps... she even looks a little like me?’

’After all, I am Ling’s father.’

Pei Yan didn’t like children, but with Mei Wanying as the mother, how could he possibly not love this child?

A sudden nervousness gripped him.

’Will Ling like me?’

’Will she want me to hold her?’

He had held Mei Wanying when she was little, but not often. He had long since forgotten the proper way to hold a child.

Pei Yan grew even more anxious.

He rubbed his wrists and stretched his arms, just in case he dropped the precious treasure Mei Wanying had given birth to.

Just as he was about to enter the room, he heard what Mei Wanying said.

’For Gu Xun’s sake, Mei Wanying was going to treat him like an enemy!’

Pei Yan thought he must have misheard.

But then he caught Wei Jue’s sympathetic glance.

Their eyes met. Wei Jue immediately dropped his gaze, a chill running down his spine. He had a feeling he wasn’t long for this world.

The oppressive aura vanished, and the tall figure walked unhurriedly into the hall.

Wei Jue exhaled, standing guard outside.

At the sight of Pei Yan, Xue Xingyao instinctively moved closer to Mei Wanying. The curses on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back down.

Her family was still in prison; she didn’t have the right to take any risks.

She shot Mei Wanying an apologetic look.

’This time,’ she thought, ’it seems I can’t stand up for my dear friend.’

Mei Wanying freed one hand to squeeze Xue Xingyao’s. She understood Ah Yao’s predicament.

For Ah Yao to still be by her side in a situation like this was more than enough.

She couldn’t expect Ah Yao to defy Pei Yan at the cost of her family’s lives.

She had already dragged Gu Xun into this mess; she couldn’t bring harm to anyone else around her.

She gently patted the back of Xue Xingyao’s hand. "You must be tired today. Why don’t you go back to your courtyard and rest."

Xue Xingyao couldn’t rest easy.

The people here were either old or young, and Ah Yin was a new mother who had just finished her postpartum confinement. How could any of them be a match for Pei Yan?

If she stayed, and Pei Yan tried to snatch Ling, she could at least lend a hand and try to stop him.

In the past, Xue Xingyao would have stood firmly by Mei Wanying’s side without a second thought.

But now, with her family’s lives in another’s hands, she wavered for the first time.

Pei Yan didn’t want outsiders present either. He only wanted to be with Ah Yin, to watch over their daughter together.

He said to Xue Xingyao, "Your mother and younger brother will be fine."

Xue Xingyao let out a huge sigh of relief.

But she didn’t fully trust Pei Yan. The man was cunning and could change his mind at any moment.

She looked at him with suspicion. "Truly?"

"Truly."

Xue Xingyao wanted to make him swear an oath: if he dared to lie, he would lose Ah Yin and Ling forever.

But she didn’t dare provoke Pei Yan.

Worse, she feared such words might bring bad luck to Ah Yin and Ling, so she quickly pushed the thought from her mind.

Reluctantly, she thanked him. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Pei Yan’s gaze fell on Mei Wanying. She was holding a baby, swaddled tightly. Combined with Mei Wanying’s deliberate attempt to shield the child, all he could see was a single, chubby little white hand.

The little hand wore a golden bracelet.

Just the sight of that tiny hand made Pei Yan think it was the most adorable thing in the world.

The corners of his mouth curved into a smile. "It’s all thanks to Ah Yin. You should thank her."

’This man is so manipulative,’ Xue Xingyao thought privately.

If she hadn’t seen Ah Yin crying over Pei Yan with her own eyes, she would have been overcome with gratitude and immediately started trying to persuade Ah Yin to get back together with him.

She looked toward Mei Wanying, who gestured with her eyes for her to leave.

Everyone has their own path to walk.

No matter how worried she was, Xue Xingyao knew she had to leave for now.

Before she reached the door, Pei Yan suddenly called out to her. "Miss Xue Er, you are Ah Yin’s dear friend and have protected her well in the past. I am very grateful. I’ve prepared a gift for you, something concerning Chen Shujing and Miss Shen’s past. Whatever you decide, as long as Ah Yin supports you, I will back your decision."

The implication was clear: if Xue Xingyao wanted a divorce, he would help her.

Having said his piece, Pei Yan looked at Mei Wanying, as if fishing for a compliment.

’Chen Shujing deceived Xue Xingyao, and I’m offering my support. Even if Ah Yin doesn’t praise me, surely this can make up for some of our past unpleasantness?’

In return, however, all he received was a cold glare from Mei Wanying.

"You busybody! Stop meddling in things that don’t concern you!"

Pei Yan was speechless.

He gritted his teeth. "Fine. I’ll make sure they can never get a divorce."

Xue Xingyao was speechless.

’Is this man insane?!’

’No wonder Ah Yin was always crying in frustration because of him. To be involved with someone like this, it’s a blessing from the heavens if you don’t get angered to death!’

Fearing that Pei Yan would use her again to manipulate Mei Wanying, Xue Xingyao strode away quickly.

Before she left, she received a thick envelope from Wei Jue.

She had seen the portrait of Shen Mingxiao in the study and had pieced some things together.

But she hadn’t delved into the full story.

Xue Xingyao thought to herself, ’It’s better to read it. After I read it, I won’t waver anymore.’

After their marriage, Chen Shujing had been very good to her.

When her family got into trouble, he was the one running around, trying to help.

Aunt Su had advised her to think carefully. The world was full of faithless men; someone like Chen Shujing was a rare find.

If she just turned a blind eye, she would have a better life than most.

Xue Xingyao understood all this, but she just couldn’t get over it in her heart.

Every time she thought about it, the pain was unbearable.

He was the man she had fallen in love with at first sight. If she could, why wouldn’t she want to spend the rest of her life with Chen Shujing?

Once Xue Xingyao had left, Pei Yan asked Mei Wanying, "Do you still think I’m meddling?"

’No wonder Xue Xingyao came to Jiangnan,’ he thought. ’Looks like she’s done with Chen Shujing.’

’And Chen Shujing is still acting like a fool, completely clueless.’

’I told him to confess, but he wouldn’t listen.’

’Now he’s getting what he deserves!’

Pei Yan decided to keep his distance from Chen Shujing. He didn’t want Mei Wanying’s displeasure with Chen Shujing to extend to him by association.

’Cutting ties with Chen Shujing was the right move.’

’Helping Xue Xingyao was also the right move.’

’This is how I’ll make Ah Yin happy.’

Pei Yan had arbitrarily interfered in Xue Xingyao’s affairs. With the power to change everything on a whim, he toyed with the fates of others as if they were in the palm of his hand.

How mighty he was!

Mei Wanying snapped, "If you’ve got a problem with your brain, go get it treated! Don’t come here and torture us!"

Pei Yan pressed his lips together, silent.

’If Xue Xingyao weren’t Ah Yin’s close friend, what would her marriage to Chen Shujing have to do with me?’

The man walked toward Mei Wanying, step by step, his gaze fixed on the tiny infant.

As he drew near, he could finally see the little face clearly.

A round face, with very large eyes.

Her face was tiny, and her features were just as delicate.

Her whole body wasn’t even as long as his forearm.

Pei Yan’s eyelashes trembled, and an inexplicable joy bloomed from the bottom of his heart.

The man’s voice was full of surprised delight. "Ah Yin, she looks exactly like you did when you were little!"

Mei Wanying refused to let him look at Ling, using the wide sleeve of her wedding dress to block her daughter’s face.

It was not the wedding dress he had chosen for her, as if to remind Pei Yan that the man she intended to marry was Gu Xun.

The man’s fingers curled. ’I really want to... take it off her.’