Miss Truth
Chapter 202 - 129: Criminal Motive

Chapter 202: Chapter 129: Criminal Motive

Huai Yin had been keeping his eyes lowered when he heard Liu Qingsong’s words, his brows tightly furrowed together.

This was the most profound expression Ran Yan had ever seen on him, more moving than that mundane, indifferent face, no wonder Yang Ying was so infatuated with him. Ran Yan didn’t think that liking someone for their appearance was superficial; humans are visual creatures, all attracted to varying degrees by beautiful things. The key was whether or not, after falling in love with someone’s appearance, you could grow to like everything about them and not have love wane as beauty faded. If one only stayed fixated on the surface, that’s what was truly superficial.

What Yang Ying’s psychology was, Ran Yan did not yet know, only that Huai Yin’s appearance alone was enough to make many women infatuated.

"Yang Ying went to Suzhou alone, I did not see her off. Yet, ultimately, the relationship between Ah Yu and me had not reverted to what it was before but had become more distrustful. In the winter of the seventh year of the Wude era, a heavy snow at the end of the year ended our deadlock."

"Ah Yu fell and injured herself in the snow, and a young gentleman carried her back. They had known each other for half a year; thinking I was Ah Yu’s elder brother, he asked for her hand in marriage. I carefully inquired into the young gentleman’s character and background, and after asking Ah Yu’s opinion, who agreed, I, as her brother, consented to the marriage."

"However," Huai Yin paused, stopping for about five breaths before he continued, "I ultimately couldn’t let go and couldn’t bear to watch her put on her wedding dress and join hands with that young gentleman for a lifetime. Thus, on the day of her wedding, the coward in me fled Jiangning."

Huai Yin’s frown eased a lot as he spoke, seeming somewhat resigned as well.

Liu Qingsong opened his mouth, seeing that he had no intention of continuing, couldn’t help saying, "That’s it? Isn’t there something like, her husband treats her poorly, her in-laws don’t like her, or the young man was actually sent by Yang Ying, who really doesn’t love Ah Yu and just wanted to split you two up?"

To think this story could be so bland! Liu Qingsong, who was all geared up to hear a tale of legendary heartbreak, felt somehow dangling, with nowhere to let his anticipation land.

"They were loving and respectful after marriage." Huai Yin’s heart intensely stung as he spoke these words.

It was not until long after he had become a monk that he realized, sometimes what a woman wants is not some unforgettable, passionate love, but merely a man who is tender to her, understands her feelings, and can protect her from the elements.

That young gentleman, though in terms of looks not remotely comparable to Huai Yin, nor could his demeanor hold a candle to Huai Yin’s, had given Ah Yu a sense of security and stability, and even though, after their marriage, Ah Yu always had some unresolved feelings, it didn’t interfere with their life.

In this world, no one is indispensable. Only the unwilling heart remains restless.

Liu Pinrang leaned forward and asked, "Does Master Huai Yin know how Ah Yu might have died? Is Yang Ying still alive?"

After a moment’s pause, Huai Yin told him everything.

"I left Jiangning a few months later and soon received news of the mutiny at the Xuanwu Gate, with constant turmoil at the border. I did not know how long the unrest might last, so I didn’t want to be too far from Ah Yu. I settled down in Jurong. Later, when Emperor Taizong ascended the throne in the eighth month of the ninth year of the Wude era, also the first year of the Zhenguan era, I heard that Ah Yu had prematurely given birth to a daughter, but fortunately, both mother and daughter were safe, and the national unrest had also settled. I felt it was time to move on. Being a descendant of the former Sui officials, I didn’t want to head towards Chang’an but could only keep moving south, wandering from place to place. I lingered a year longer at Huainan Road and Jiangnan Road before I finally made up my mind to leave."

Xiao Song did not admire Huai Yin’s attitude in handling things; since the two hearts liked each other, he should’ve persisted. How could he let Ah Yu simply marry another man? And since she was already married to someone else, why bother holding on to memories of her?

Yet Liu Qingsong sighed unceasingly, "In his early years, Master Huai Yin was truly a hopeless romantic, in such a plight, yet unable to let go of Ah Yu."

Liu Qingsong’s sigh was misplaced, but Huai Yin, as if he had not heard, his brows were already relaxed, talking as if it were someone else’s story, "After arriving in Suzhou, I happened to meet Yang Ying, at her enthusiastic retention, I stayed in Suzhou for two months. By then, I had understood Yang Ying’s past instigation, but I held no resentment towards her; it was my lack of persistence towards Ah Yu and my inability to consider things from her perspective."

"But just when I was about to leave Suzhou, I encountered Yang Yu passing through Suzhou, with her toddling daughter. I only saw her from a distance. Afterwards, I joined the military, participating in Great Tang’s war against the Turkic North. I stayed in the army for more than four years, and upon my return, I learned of Ah Yu’s death from illness. Heartbroken, I urgently inquired about her daughter’s whereabouts, only finding out that a female nun had taken her away six months after Ah Yu had died. I searched for two years in Huainan and Jiangnan Roads, finally finding her at Yingmei Temple. It turns out, she was taken in as a disciple by Yang Ying."