Huo Huaixi overheard Shen Ajiao testing Shui Rong from outside. Knowing that Shui Rong couldn't hear her, and also knowing that Shen Ajiao knew that someone could hear her thoughts, she felt a little embarrassed to go in.
But he felt that his ability to hear was definitely a sign from God, and he felt that he could do it.
There's been no progress so far...
Pretending nothing was wrong, he said to Shui Rong, "Why aren't you under house arrest? What are you doing here?"
Shui Rong and Huo Huaixi are not close in private. One is cold and aloof, while the other thinks the other is a cunning and scheming person. Now that they are sitting together, they both feel that the other is up to no good.
Shui Rong had always disliked Huo Huaixi's sour face. "Of course there's something wrong. The Prince must have something to discuss here too."
Huo Huaixi, "visiting a classmate."
Isn't that a better reason than yours?
Then a bomb was dropped, with the message: "My father is looking for you."
Shui Rong said nonchalantly, "I know, but I'm under house arrest by His Majesty. I'm sorry to trouble you, Prince."
When Huo Huaixi heard what Shui Rong had said—that he wanted him to intervene openly and legitimately, and that it was the Emperor's will—Huo Huaixi stopped pressing the matter and nodded, "You'd better go home quickly."
To avoid harming the innocent bystanders.
Shui Rong understands the logic, but he just doesn't want to do anything. Shen Ajiao is about to die, why should he care about the fish pond? He'd be doing the Emperor a favor by not blowing up the fish pond.
Huo Huaixi did not make things difficult for Shui Rong, because Lin Daiyu was also very sad at this time, but she did not show her grief. Before coming, she told herself not to be sad, and to treat it as a farewell to a good friend.
Huo Huaixi was at a loss for words to say goodbye to her friend. Thinking of her usual greedy nature, she could only have someone bring in a gold sailboat engraved with the words "Smooth Sailing" and give it to the still surprised Shen Ajiao.
Shen Ajiao was heartbroken; she couldn't take these things with her!
It was a complete waste for Gillian Chung.
Chen Ajiao shed tears of envy.
"Thank you, thank you."
Shui Rong looked incredulous. What was going on? He had been in front of Shen Ajiao for so long, but he had never seen her look at him like that, nor had he ever seen her be so enthusiastic.
Shui Rong was so angry that he wanted to slap himself again. No matter what he did, he was always a step too late.
By the time Shui Rong brought a bunch of fun things, Shen Ajiao was already asleep…
Shui Rong was taken away by Lin Ruhai. He wanted to slap himself again as he was separated by a door. He was always a step too late in everything he did!
Shen Ajiao had already said goodbye to Lin Ruhai and Lin Daiyu.
They even agreed that after she left, they would send Shen Ajiao to a place where no one knew her and let her live a good life.
Shen Ajiao lied to the outside world, saying she was sick. Cui Baozhu and the others had all met her, and they all cried their eyes out. Shen Ajiao laughed and then started crying too, as if she was a little reluctant to part with these junior high school students.
She had thought it would be a long time before the system arrived, but in just three days, late one night, a mechanical voice rang in Shen Ajiao's ears.
"Congratulations, host, on completing the binding task. The small reward from the system will be deposited into your personal account the day after you return. Please check it."
"Does the host need anything else? If not, the return journey will begin in ten seconds after the beeping sound."
Shen Ajiao glanced at Lin Ruhai beside her, wanting to wake him, but ultimately remained silent.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six..."
Lin Ruhai, who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly sat up from the bed. He looked at the people floating in the air for two seconds, hesitated, then slowly loosened his clenched hands and smiled at Shen Ajiao, "Go back now, and remember me and Yu'er."
Don't forget us...
"Three, two, one!"
"Okay, I won't forget you all. Be happy!"
Goodbye, Lin Ruhai~
The room fell eerily quiet. Lin Ruhai was already in tears, suppressing his sobs. Lin Daiyu, who had been resting in the outer room, heard the commotion and finally came in after a long while. She looked at Lin Ruhai, who was sitting in the room, and said with red eyes,
"Father, your wife has passed away."
Lin Ruhai sat there blankly for a long time before finally saying, "Yes, it's like a dream. When I woke up, everything had changed."
Lin Daiyu looked at Chen Ajiao on the bed, "Should we wait?"
Lin Ruhai smiled and patted Lin Daiyu's head. "Waiting for someone who isn't her?"
Lying in bed was someone familiar yet strange, but ultimately not her. His heart felt empty, utterly devoid of any emotion.
With tears in her eyes, Lin Daiyu said, "Then I'll go and make the arrangements right away."
At night, a carriage was dispatched from the side gate of the Lin residence and headed out of the city. No one knew who it was or where it was going.
The next day, the Lin family in the capital hung up white banners to inform relatives and friends that Mrs. Lin had passed away.
Shui Rong was holding the little trinkets she had just bought, thinking she would take them to the Lin family to cheer her up, when a servant informed her that people from the Lin family had come to announce a death.
Shui Rong dropped what she was holding and ran out like a madwoman. When she arrived at the Lin residence, she saw a whole row of white mourning clothes in front of it. She staggered and almost lost her footing, muttering, "How could this be? We were playing cards together just yesterday."
"Your Highness, the dead cannot be brought back to life!"
"Get out!"
Shui Rong looked at the bustling Lin residence and then at Lin Ruhai standing at the entrance, dressed in mourning clothes that made him stand out. She staggered forward, grabbed Lin Ruhai by the collar, gritted her teeth, and whispered, "What are you doing!"
"She's just joking, are you going to indulge her? This joke isn't funny at all."
Lin Ruhai pushed Shui Rong away, his eyes showing no trace of their usual turmoil, and remained perfectly calm. "Your Highness, please return."
Before Shui Rong could say anything, he sternly addressed the people behind her, "Has your prince gone mad?! Let's settle this in court. If you dare to cause such a ruckus at my wife's funeral again, don't blame me for submitting a memorial impeaching your prince! Don't forget that your prince is still under house arrest. Are you trying to disrespect imperial authority?!"
Shui Rong's guards often accompanied him over the wall to the Lin family residence. They were fully aware of the relationship between the two, both publicly and privately. They knew that Lord Lin was reminding their lord not to reveal anything and not to attract outside attention.
Without saying a word, the guard went up and delivered a sharp chop to the back of Shui Rong's neck, knocking him unconscious, and then carried him on his shoulder.
"Lord Lin, please accept my condolences. My lord has been in low spirits lately. I beg you... please be magnanimous and not hold it against him!"
Lin Ruhai said coldly, "Get out!"
Outsiders said that Shui Rong had drunk too much and came to cause trouble for Lin Ruhai because he had lost many of his men. The Emperor Emeritus felt a little better in the palace and his suspicions about Shui Rong were reduced.
When the Emperor learned that Shui Rong had caused trouble at the Lin family's door, he immediately issued an edict reprimanding him, awarding him thirty strokes of the cane, and fining him three years' salary as a warning to others.
The Lin family only kept the coffin for three days before Lin Ruhai asked the emperor for leave, packed his bags, and returned to Suzhou with Lin Daiyu.
Originally, he had only taken two months' leave, but now it had been extended to six months. So Lin Ruhai had someone bury "Shen Ajiao's" coffin in the Lin family ancestral graveyard.
He then took Lin Daiyu to Suzhou for a month, where he settled the maids serving in Lin Daiyu's study. After putting his mind at ease, he returned to the capital.
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