Chapter 46.1

“Dad, Mom, why did second uncle and second aunt leave?” Pei Mingxia’s voice echoed before she even entered the room.

Soon after, her family walked in together.

“Dad, Mom, what’s going on here…” Pei Mingxia hesitated. The family was scattered around, some standing and others sitting, and nobody was speaking. They had even sent the relatives away. What was happening?

As she stepped into the living room, she noticed Shen Yimei was also present. She bypassed Lu Nong and Pei Ji’an, happily sitting next to Shen Yimei and saying, “Sister Yimei, you’re here too! Stay for dinner later. Today, the eldest sister-in-law is cooking, and it’s way better than what Mom makes.”

Once at her parents’ house, Pei Mingxia immediately adopted an air of authority. She didn’t regard her sister-in-law Lu Nong at all, nor did she pay attention to her older brother Pei Ji’an or her eldest sister-in-law Feng Xiaoyuan. To her, the eldest sister-in-law was merely someone to cook for her.

Seeing Pei Mingxia’s oblivious attitude, Feng Xiaoyuan felt it was hard to describe the situation. Among the Pei family’s three children, the eldest and second had grown up well, while the youngest, Pei Mingxia, had been spoiled by Father Pei and Mother Pei. This had made her selfish and willful, unable to even read the room.

Feng Xiaoyuan was now grateful that her in-laws didn’t like her, which extended to their dislike of the daughter she had given birth to. Otherwise, if her daughter had been raised around Pei Mingxia, turning into a spoiled brat like her, she wouldn’t know where to cry.

Pei Mingxia’s husband, Song Yeping, was more aware of the situation. He cleared his throat gently and said to her, “Mingxia, let’s go upstairs and put Qian Qian to sleep. Look at Qian Qian, he’s already sleepy.”

Unfortunately, Pei Mingxia truly didn’t get the hint. Instead of taking it easy, she added fuel to the fire, saying, “You can go up first if you want. I still have things to discuss with Sister Yimei. We’re like family, I recognize Sister Yimei as my only sister-in-law in this lifetime…”

Song Yeping: “…” Are you trying to stir up trouble?

Song Yeping was filled with a thousand curses, but he couldn’t express them. Fortunately, his parents and siblings were not in the capital. He couldn’t imagine how chaotic things would become if his family were nearby, especially with someone like Pei Mingxia around.

“Some people should stop dreaming. Just because you think you’ve climbed to a higher branch doesn’t mean you’ve truly become the mistress. My brother has waited so many years for Sister Yimei. Do you even know why he married you?” Pei Mingxia continued to chatter away.

Lu Nong had not said much yet when a furious shout interrupted Pei Mingxia, shocking both Pei’s mother and Shen Yimei.

“Enough!”

Father Pei’s forehead was deeply furrowed. Upon seeing Shen Yimei sitting on the sofa and recalling the whispered conversation he had overheard upstairs between the second couple, he finally understood what was happening. He felt a mix of embarrassment and discomfort.

Who was to blame for this? Should he blame Yimei for being dutiful and bringing supplements for the couple during the Mid-Autumn Festival?

Or should he blame Pei Ji’an for bringing his newlywed wife along? After all, it was they who had personally called and insisted she come meet the family.

However, Pei Mingxia’s words struck a chord. Mother Pei’s expression shifted. Was there more to the story behind Ji’an marrying his new wife?

Did he not genuinely want to marry the new wife?

Shen Yimei’s face had turned pale the moment she saw Pei Ji’an holding Lu Nong’s hand. It only regained a bit of color when she heard Pei Mingxia’s words, feeling as if she had been granted a temporary reprieve from a death sentence.

Her gaze was filled with grievance, fear, and expectation as she looked at Pei Ji’an.

For all these years, she had relied on Pei Mingxia’s constant reminders that Pei Ji’an had remained unmarried for her sake, that he loved her but simply could not forgive her. She believed that one day she would receive his forgiveness, and they would be together again.

Initially, it had been a way to comfort herself, but after hearing it for over a decade, she had come to believe it without a doubt.

Even Song Yeping’s face showed signs of hesitation. Pei Mingxia had brainwashed herself, Shen Yimei, and their family with the notion that “Pei Ji’an is waiting for Shen Yimei.” After marrying Song Yeping, she began to instill these ideas in him as well, leading him to start doubting the situation.

Probably the only people in the room who completely believed in Pei Ji’an were Lu Nong, Feng Xiaoyuan, and Pei Su.

Pei Ji’an scanned the expressions of everyone present, revealing a strange mix of disgust, absurdity, ridicule, and indifference. “I’ve waited for Shen Yimei for so many years… How come I didn’t know it myself?”

If it weren’t for today, he wouldn’t have known that Shen Yimei still had such thoughts.

During the first few years after his divorce from Shen Yimei, both his and the Shen family’s parents had been trying to push for their reconciliation, even using his career as leverage, just as they had pressured him to marry Shen Yimei based on her innocence and his future.

After a cold laugh, Pei Ji’an had firmly stated that he would never marry Shen Yimei again. If they wanted to threaten him, he would just go to the battlefield.

After risking his life on the battlefield multiple times and rising in rank and position, the Pei and Shen families had stopped trying to pressure him into marrying Shen Yimei.

He thought everything had come to an end and enjoyed a few years of peace.

Who knew that in recent years they would resort to softer tactics? Both families acted as if they had agreed on a plan to continue referring to each other as in-laws, subtly implying that Shen Yimei was still the Pei family’s daughter-in-law and that their second son was married to Shen’s eldest daughter. Pei Ji’an learned all of this afterward.

Pei Ji’an was busy with work and rarely returned to see his parents, but each time he did, he would run into Shen Yimei. After a while, he began to suspect what his parents were planning.

Pei Ji’an found it both absurd and amusing, choosing to stop communicating with both families, which only made them think he had softened his stance.

Perhaps believing the time was right, earlier this year, Father Pei directly asked Pei Ji’an when he would marry Shen Yimei.

Pei Ji’an was straightforward and unhesitating in his refusal. He turned around and fulfilled Gu Weiguo’s dying wish by marrying Lu Nong.

Marrying Lu Nong was not only fulfilling Gu Weiguo’s request to ensure Lu Nong’s well-being but also mutually beneficial, allowing Pei Ji’an to avoid further disturbances from the families.

Since the Pei and Shen families wanted him to marry, he would do so and put an end to their hopes.

Little did he expect that someone would secretly arrange for him to play out a “deep emotional scene,” and Pei Mingxia had said this to his face twice without batting an eye. Surely she couldn’t be fooling herself while trying to deceive others.

Pei Mingxia looked as if she had seen a ghost. “Second Brother, what are you talking about? Have you forgotten about Sister Yimei just because you have a little mistress? She has been waiting for you for more than ten years, you can’t do this to her!”

“Don’t think I don’t know. This little mistress is Gu Weiguo’s ex-wife. You married her because of Gu Weiguo’s dying wish. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even be with her.”

Pei Mingxia was relentless, expressing her opinions with confidence as if she were a well-oiled machine.

Lu Nong, who had remained silent until now, genuinely felt sympathy for Pei Ji’an. No wonder he found it pointless to engage in conversation with Pei Mingxia. She simply couldn’t understand rational discourse.

Pei Ji’an had clearly stated that he had no intention of reconciling with Shen Yimei, yet Pei Mingxia remained trapped in her own narrative, like someone obsessed with a couple’s relationship, unwilling to believe the truth and only trusting her imagined “reality.”

One could imagine that the more this tangled situation continued, the more the parties involved would feel numb and annoyed.

At that moment, however, Pei Ji’an remained calm, extraordinarily composed, and patient. He answered all of Pei Mingxia’s questions, providing her with solid evidence.

“I have said this many times. I will not remarry Shen Yimei and have never had any feelings for her.”

“My marriage to Lu Nong was approved by the organization. No matter what the reason is, I will spend the rest of my life with her. You have to call her sister-in-law.”

The weight of the phrase “never had any feelings” was too damaging. It not only negated Pei Mingxia’s claims that Pei Ji’an was waiting for Shen Yimei but also entirely dismissed the brief marriage he had with her.

Shen Yimei’s years of heartfelt waiting had essentially become a joke.

“No!!”

Shen Yimei, who always maintained her elegance, finally exploded. With tears in her eyes, she questioned and accused Pei Ji’an as if he were a scumbag who had abandoned her. “I loved you so much, why can’t you see that? Is there anyone who can love you for over a decade without wavering? Can this woman beside you do that?”

She was filled with jealousy, to the point of wanting to go mad.

Over the years, the lies Pei Mingxia told were still lies. As someone who had made mistakes, Shen Yimei understood very well Pei Ji’an’s true feelings towards her.

But Pei Mingxia’s words and Pei Ji’an’s decision to remain unmarried gave Shen Yimei a reason to dream. She thought that if she quietly stayed by Pei Ji’an’s side without competing for his attention, honoring his parents and loving his family, he would eventually see her dedication.

Their marriage had begun in a terrible way and ended too soon, short enough that it never gave Pei Ji’an the chance to love her, Shen Yimei. After their divorce, there would be plenty of time. If one year didn’t work, there would be two. If two years didn’t work, there would be three, and if three didn’t work, there would be ten.

One day, Pei Ji’an would be moved by her efforts and perseverance. He would forgive her and truly love her.

“Why can’t you… just look at me?” Shen Yimei choked, her tears flowing incessantly. Her sobs broke Mother Pei and Pei Mingxia’s hearts, even causing Song Yeping and Sister-in-law Feng Xiaoyuan to look on in sympathy.

Sometimes, people can be deeply moved by heartfelt emotions.

Pei Ji’an almost laughed out of anger. So their divorce of more than ten years ago only meant something to him?

“Yimei! Are you okay?”