Xiao Ruyi was more resolute than Shen Ning had imagined. Less than five days later, she heard the news of Xiao Ruyi's death.
That day was the anniversary of Liu'er's death. After many years of marriage, Xiao Ruyi knew that Han Yin would get drunk every year on this day.
In the past, she didn't understand, but now that she knows the truth, she realizes that everything is traceable. In the past, she was blinded by her own limited perspective and couldn't see anything.
Han Yin stayed in the music room drinking, because that was where he and Liu'er pledged their love.
Xiao Ruyi pretended not to know and, as in previous years, wanted to go and take care of him.
"Go outside, I want to be alone for a while."
He said the same thing as in previous years.
This time, Xiao Ruyi didn't obediently leave as before. She went over, picked up the wine jars on the ground, and tidied up the messed-up table.
She could feel Han Yin's gaze following her like a shadow; it was an undisguised hatred.
Xiao Ruyi wanted to laugh, laughing at her own stupidity and blindness, for not being able to see such obvious hatred, laughing at her own patheticness, for deceiving herself for so many years.
She laughed at Han Yin for being incompetent, unable to protect the woman he loved, and for having to be her husband for so many years despite hating her.
Xiao Ruyi packed her things and came to Han Yin, looking at the man she had loved for more than ten years with eyes full of love, gently wiping his cheek with a handkerchief.
She said, "Husband, let's stop arguing, okay? You can be nice to Shen Shu, take her as a concubine or keep her as a pet, it's all up to you. Let's stop arguing, I'll listen to you from now on."
"My husband, you know I love you the most. And Mo'er, he's been able to write your name lately. He picked out the best one and kept it, wanting to show it to you."
"They say that the bond between husband and wife is as good as a hundred days of kindness. We have been married for many years and have a harmonious relationship. How can we be inferior to a divorced woman?"
Xiao Ruyi poured out her boundless love, every word coming from the bottom of her heart, but Han Yin was not buying it. No one knew which of her words had offended Han Yin, but he slapped Xiao Ruyi to the ground.
He ignored Xiao Ruyi's silence, picked up the wine jar, and continued drinking.
He reminisced about his time with Liu'er while drunk, until he finally passed out completely.
Later, for some unknown reason, the candlestick collapsed and caught fire.
The servants outside noticed and rushed in to rescue Han Yin.
Behind the music room was the study. When the books were set on fire, flames shot up high in an instant. Even the servants carrying water dared not get too close, and in the end, they could only watch helplessly as the music room was engulfed by the fire.
The raging flames, accompanied by crackling explosions, and the dazzling light jolted Han Yin awake from his drunken stupor.
What happened?
The servant quickly told him, "Young master, the candlestick has fallen over, and the music room is on fire. There's no way to put it out."
Candlesticks, music room...
Han Yin stared in shock at the place engulfed by the fire, finding it hard to accept. The music room held his and Liu'er's memories.
"Fire! Fire! Help!"
"Young Master, the fire is too big; we can't get close at all."
Suddenly a maidservant rushed out, asking in a panic, "Young Madam, has anyone seen the Young Madam?"
Xiao Ruyi?
Han Yin suddenly jolted and grabbed the person, asking, "Is Xiao Ruyi inside?"
He himself couldn't believe it when he asked.
The maid didn't hear what he said clearly, but when she saw him, she was very excited: "Young Master, where is the Young Madam? She came to the music room looking for you, where did she go?"
Han Yin had no idea where Xiao Ruyi had gone. He looked at the burning pavilion and remembered that she hadn't moved since he slapped her.
Has she come out? Or is she hiding somewhere?
She must have come out; there's absolutely no way she could still be inside. With such a huge fire, how could she possibly still be inside?
Han Yin swallowed hard, hoping that things would turn out as he thought, and that Xiao Ruyi was definitely not inside.
He himself didn't realize that at this moment he didn't actually want Xiao Ruyi to die.
The fire burned for a full three hours before being extinguished, and in the end, only the thickest part of the building remained, barely supporting the outer shell.
For reasons unknown, Han Yin ordered his men to search inside.
Seeing that everyone was coming and going without any problems, Han Yin felt much more at ease. However, he was too complacent.
"Ah~~~~ What is this?"
One person screamed and jumped up, clearly quite frightened.
Han Yin's legs went weak, and he quickly ordered his men to dig it out.
Soon a body was pulled out from under the rubble, burned to a crisp, with its limbs almost gone, leaving only the torso. It was barely recognizable as a human, but even the gender was indistinguishable.
The Han family began to take inventory to see who had actually been burned to death.
However, after going through all the options, the only one who was missing was the young mistress, Xiao Ruyi. After Han Yin got drunk, only Xiao Ruyi came in.
So, it was their young mistress who was burned to death?
Han Yin staggered a few steps, then knelt down on the ground, staring in disbelief at the charred corpse.
That's Xiao Ruyi? How could that be?
How could it be Xiao Ruyi?
Is she stupid? Why doesn't she run away from such a big fire?
Xiao Ruyi's maid was trembling with fear, but she still managed to identify the corpse as Xiao Ruyi by some gemstones and jewelry that hadn't been melted by the fire. She burst into tears, a truly pitiful sight.
The rest of the Han family were stunned by this turn of events. It wasn't a big deal that Han Yin had drunkenly knocked over a candlestick and burned down the music room, but why did Xiao Ruyi die inside?
However, Han Yin was stunned and wouldn't say anything no matter what was asked, as if he had lost his soul.
Xiao Ruyi was the young mistress, and her death was no small matter for the Han family.
White banners were quickly hung up at home, and a mourning hall was set up. Because Xiao Ruyi's body was unrecognizable, it was placed directly into a coffin.
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