Pei Yan leaned forward, his tall frame enveloping Mei Wanying.
The handkerchief brushed lightly across her fair, delicate skin.
His movements were gentle, creating a sharp contrast with his cold and stern appearance.
The distance between them was too close.
So close that Mei Wanying found it difficult to breathe.
The moment she moved, the man cupped her face.
“It’s not clean yet.”
His eyes were deep and calm, like an ancient well untouched by ripples.
That composure only made Mei Wanying’s inner turmoil seem ridiculous.
Anger surged through her.
She shoved Pei Yan’s shoulder.
His instincts reacted instantly. He almost reached out to restrain her from moving recklessly.
But afraid of hurting her, he loosened his grip instead.
Mei Wanying’s emotions boiled over.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
Her almond-shaped eyes brimmed with despair.
“Pei Yan, what exactly do you want?”
“I’m only helping you.”
His tone was indifferent.
His expression completely open and innocent.
As though she were the unreasonable one.
The fire in her chest burned even hotter.
In the past, he had done everything possible to avoid her.
Even when they met, he rarely showed her a pleasant face.
Now that she had finally given up, he kept coming to bother her.
Did seeing her suffer make him happy?
The tears she had only just managed to stop rolled down once more.
They slid along her porcelain-white cheeks, traveled over the delicate point of her chin, and finally disappeared into the embroidered folds of her dress.
She didn’t want to cry.
But she couldn’t control herself.
A sense of helplessness threatened to swallow her whole.
What was she supposed to do to escape these people?
Watching her tears fall, Pei Yan’s breathing grew heavier.
“Why are you crying?”
His hands clenched tightly atop his knees as he struggled to suppress something.
Did Mei Wanying really dislike him that much?
So much that she couldn’t even tolerate riding in his carriage?
She hadn’t been like this before.
Looking at him with despair in her eyes, Mei Wanying finally said,
“I don’t like you anymore!”
“I won’t chase after you again!”
“Whether you marry Xue Yunshu or someone else, can you just stay away from me?”
“Stop appearing in front of me!”
“And stop pretending to be nice to me. It’s hypocritical!”
Being called hypocritical didn’t bother Pei Yan.
What echoed endlessly in his mind were the first two sentences.
She didn’t like him anymore.
Impossible.
Pei Yan didn’t believe it.
If she could let go so easily, would she have pursued him for so many years?
As for Xue Yunshu…
He barely knew who she was.
The surname sounded familiar.
She was probably one of the daughters from the Duke’s residence.
Suddenly, Pei Yan remembered the day his mother had asked him to choose a bride.
At the time, he hadn’t even looked at the portraits.
He had casually pointed at one.
He never expected his mother to take it seriously, much less tell Mei Wanying about it.
No one understood Mei Wanying’s possessiveness better than he did.
She always claimed he was her future husband.
She demanded that he conduct himself properly.
Whenever he went out, he wasn’t allowed to look at other women.
Not even once.
Pei Yan had always thought the demand was childish.
After all, she couldn’t follow him around all day.
How would she know where he looked?
Still, he couldn’t deny it.
She had always cared.
Now she had heard that he was planning to marry someone.
That he had already chosen a candidate.
Of course she would be angry.
No wonder she was crying.
No wonder she refused to let him get close.
No wonder she kept telling him to get lost.
Everything suddenly made sense.
Pei Yan pinched the bridge of his nose helplessly.
“You don’t like her?”
“Then I won’t marry her.”
“She’s just an insignificant person.”
“Is she really worth crying over?”
Mei Wanying’s eyes widened.
For a moment she was so stunned that she forgot to cry.
The corner of Pei Yan’s lips lifted slightly before flattening again.
After a light cough, he added,
“Even if I don’t marry her, I’ll still marry someone else.”
“I only see you as a younger sister.”
His meaning couldn’t have been clearer.
Not marrying Xue Yunshu didn’t mean he would marry Mei Wanying.
Pei Yan’s voice remained calm.
“You should prepare yourself.”
“Sooner or later, there will come a day when I marry.”
“I don’t want you making a scene again and causing everyone to be unhappy.”
Pei Yan had never looked forward to marriage.
Given his position, whoever he married would ultimately be part of a political arrangement.
A relationship built on mutual benefit.
Yet he had to admit one thing.
Mei Wanying was different.
He could use anyone.
But he never wanted to use her.
He only wanted her to live peacefully.
To marry a decent man from a respectable family.
And live the rest of her life safely and happily.
A fleeting trace of disappointment brushed against his heart.
Gone before he could grasp it.
Meeting his cool, detached gaze, Mei Wanying felt all her emotions drain away.
No matter what she said.
No matter what she did.
Pei Yan always believed she was simply throwing a tantrum.
And he had already prepared himself for marriage.
He could marry anyone.
Anyone except her.
If they had both already decided to cut ties, why continue dragging things out?
She was tired.
Truly tired.
She didn’t want to say another word.
Leaning against the carriage wall, she closed her eyes.
The graceful curve of her pale neck was exposed.
The dangling earring beside it swayed gently.
And Pei Yan found himself staring.
The things he had intended to say vanished from his mind.
The carriage became unbearably quiet.
Pei Yan couldn’t help remembering the past.
Back then, whenever he refused to talk to her, he would close his eyes and rest in the carriage.
Mei Wanying had never been reserved.
She would stare at him openly.
Sometimes she would even lean closer and count his eyelashes.
Every time it happened, he became so annoyed that he wanted to throw her out of the carriage.
It was the same face.
Yet now she was colder than ice.
The person closing their eyes and ignoring the other had become her.
The one drawing a clear boundary between them had become her too.
Pei Yan lost himself in thought.
Only when the carriage stopped at the Mei residence did he return to reality.
Mei Wanying immediately stood up.
She couldn’t wait to get off.
Pei Yan reacted even faster.
Stretching out a long leg, he blocked the carriage door.
Mei Wanying’s eyelid twitched.
The emotions she had barely managed to suppress began churning again.
Her fingers dug into the wooden wall of the carriage.
After taking a deep breath, she finally managed to keep herself from losing control.
“Your Highness.”
“Do you have any instructions?”
Pei Yan himself didn’t know why he was stopping her.
His body seemed completely disconnected from his mind.
Under the scrutiny of those clear black-and-white eyes, he suddenly felt embarrassed.
He really must be sick.
Otherwise, why would he be acting like this?
He didn’t even like Mei Wanying.
If she wanted to give him the cold shoulder, then let her.
At least he would finally have some peace.
In a few days, he would be leaving the capital.
Even if she changed her mind and wanted to reconcile, she wouldn’t be able to find him.
Then she would know what regret felt like.
Lifting his sharply defined chin, he maintained his proud and aloof expression.
“You still haven’t given me an answer.”
“Hm?”
Mei Wanying looked confused.
Pei Yan asked,
“Who do you want to marry?”
She laughed in anger.
Even now, he was still obsessed with this issue.
Unless she was married off, he wouldn’t be at ease.
“Your Highness.”
“You really have put a great deal of thought into this.”
Pei Yan had indeed put a great deal of thought into it.
The list had been carefully selected by him.
Every man on it came from a respectable family.
They were educated, upright, and had clean households.
No concubines.
No bedchamber maids.
They were handsome enough not to offend Mei Wanying’s eyes.
Pei Yan said,
“In a few days I’ll be leaving the capital. Before then, I hope you’ll make a decision. If you don’t like the men on that list—”
Mei Wanying cut him off.
“The first one is fine.”
She had never looked at the list.
She had no idea who the first man was.
At that moment, she only wanted Pei Yan to disappear.