After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

Page 156

Without further discussion about how to handle the situation at the company, Yutenji Wakana waved goodbye and watched Hachiman Kairin leave the office. Looking at the messages on her phone, she sighed silently.

Her purple eyes held a mixture of conflict and reluctance.

But in the end, all these strange emotions disappeared as she lowered her eyelids.

Yutenji Wakana looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

"Is this the end of ten years of being sidelined?"

.................................................. ................

Tokyo, Japan, Haneda Airport.

As a plane from Switzerland gradually came to a stop at the airport, and the cabin door for passengers to disembark opened, a blonde figure hurriedly emerged from the crowd.

Although the sunglasses obscured her expression, the panic and anxiety emanating from her aura were clearly visible.

After retrieving her few pieces of luggage from the baggage claim area, Toyokawa Hatsune hurriedly dragged her small suitcase towards the airport exit, while also taking out her phone to call for a ride.

Several days after Toyokawa Shoko was declared dead, this blond-haired loyal dog, who was known throughout the Toyokawa family, finally returned from Switzerland.

It wasn't that she was so desperate that she couldn't even get a plane ticket; rather, someone had deliberately manipulated the notification process.

Unlike his approach with Umiyo Yawata, Mortis didn't send out invitations at all, but instead used a rather primitive and inefficient method compared to phone notifications.

Instead of calling her to let her know and telling her to hurry back to Tokyo so she could deliver the invitation herself, she mailed the paper invitation directly to Hatsune Toyokawa's residence in Switzerland.

By the time Hatsune Toyokawa learned of this through the funeral invitation, it was already too late.

In Mortis's mind, Toyokawa Hatsune was someone who was more trouble than she was worth. It would be better to call her back too early. It would be enough if she could see Toyokawa Shoko one last time.

Even Wakaba Mutsumi had no objection to this arrangement.

This is why the blonde woman is in such a hurry—today is the day of Toyokawa Shoko's burial, and if she doesn't hurry, she may not even be able to see Shoko one last time.

In fact, if it weren't for her "friends" in Tokyo helping her get a plane ticket from nearby, she would still be in Switzerland.

However, when Naruto saw the car she had arranged slowly driving towards her, she was taken aback.

The car window rolled down, revealing the "friend" who had helped her get the plane ticket: Nagasaki Sosei, with long brown hair, and...

Someone who should have fled this city long ago, just like me.

"Get in the car, Hatsune. We'll take you there. We have something to tell you on the way."

Chihaya Aine looked at Toyokawa Hatsune, who was standing blankly outside the car, took off her sunglasses, and had a serious and indifferent expression.

Chapter 143 Closing the Coffin for His Deceased Wife

The Toyokawa family mansion was much more lively today than it had been a few days ago.

Shoko Toyokawa is about to be buried, and the end of the burial ceremony will mark the complete conclusion of the funeral.

At the same time, the period of safety that Toyokawa Yuu had been in was about to end.

As a prominent family, those who pride themselves on upholding the legacy of civilization still maintained some restraint before the spirit of the family head. On the contrary, Toyokawa Yuu often sneaked out without restraint, and last night she even stayed overnight at another woman's house.

Judging by appearances alone, most people would probably feel sorry for the young Toyokawa patriarch who died prematurely.

And that was indeed the case. Although Toyokawa Yuu's staying out all night wasn't exactly publicized, it wasn't a secret to some well-informed people.

Even last night, when Mortis drove him out, someone secretly followed from a distance. After confirming that the lights were off at Ruoye's house and no one was coming out, they cursed him for being immoral while laughing from ear to ear.

This act of handing a knife to the enemy with one's own hands... it seems that after being protected and raised in the mansion for several years, Toyokawa Yuu's mind has also become abnormal. The main family is now completely ruined.

What can the only remaining somewhat useful member, Wakaba Mutsumi, do? The concept of the head of the family being "half a body" is more dependent on the relationships with the living, but it means nothing after death.

Ultimately, she doesn't even have the surname Toyokawa.

However, regardless of their future plans for the main family, which possessed immense wealth but had essentially lost control of the situation following Toyokawa Shoko's sudden death, they still had to outwardly fulfill their duty as a branch family—to respectfully send off the head of the family on his final journey.

In a sense, these formalities are actually a good thing. At least no one will reprimand Toyokawa Yuu for going out partying with Wakaba Mutsu last night in front of Toyokawa Shoko's remains at this critical juncture. Even if it can't be directly classified as infidelity, it can still be judged as disrespect for the deceased.

Outside the Toyokawa family mansion, the vehicle carrying the coffin to the cemetery was ready, and staff members dressed in black suits and white ties were waiting outside.

Inside the mourning hall, everyone's eyes were focused on Yuu Toyokawa, who stood in front of Shoko Toyokawa's portrait, her face solemn as she bowed her head in silent mourning.

Even if they engage in many underhanded tactics behind the scenes, at this moment when etiquette is paramount, everyone must wait for the widower, who has just automatically assumed the position of head of the family according to the succession procedure, to give orders.

Only if he speaks can those people outside come in to transport the coffin.

"Youyu, it's almost time."

Mortis, who was more suited to this situation and didn't care much about Toyokawa Shoko, took over control of his body as always, moving closer to Toyokawa Yuu.

She tiptoed up to whisper beside Yuu Toyokawa, her long, light green hair silently blending into the widower's hair as he displayed a mournful posture, gently reminding him that the days-long mortuary service should end.

Looking at the altar already covered with white flowers, the portrait placed on it, and the coffin behind it, even Mortis, who wasn't particularly close to Toyokawa Shoko, couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

Even if she disliked the guy who had monopolized Toyokawa Yuu for ten years, they had still spent ten years under the same roof together.

Now, Toyokawa Shoko is about to be completely buried underground, and we will never be able to see her face again. We only have a little time to see her when we visit her grave every year to sweep away the dead leaves on her tombstone.

For me, this might not be a big deal. Maybe in two years, even my long-standing dissatisfaction with Toyokawa Shoko will fade away with time.

It's not that I've come to terms with it; it's just that those unpleasant memories tend to fade over time.

But for Toyokawa Yuu...

No matter what, she was his legal wife and first wife; how could he possibly be as calm as he appeared on the surface?

He probably can't even feel sadness anymore, and he's even unwilling to accept the fact that Xiangzi has passed away.

I never felt that Toyokawa Shoko had left my side...

"According to the established procedures, you could take one last look at Xiangzi, but..."

In keeping with his duty as the villa manager, Mortis still reminded Yuu Toyokawa.

The coffin containing Shoko Toyokawa's remains can be opened, and it hasn't even been nailed in yet.

According to those elaborate funeral rites, Yuu Toyokawa, as the deceased's husband, had the right to view her remains one last time.

This applies not only to Yuu Toyokawa, but also to some people with whom she has a very close relationship.

However, nowadays, apart from Yuu Toyokawa, perhaps only Mutsumi Wakaba, who is hiding deep in the mind of this body and silently shedding tears, can be considered close to her.

As for Mortis herself... she was the one who personally used dry ice and other methods to maintain Toyokawa Shoko's appearance during the wake these past few days, and she had already said her farewells.

She simply didn't want Yuu Toyokawa to see Shoko Toyokawa's true face in his final moments, as that might shatter the composure he had maintained, which was perhaps merely a facade of self-deception.

The idea that Toyokawa Shoko had never left his side will probably shatter the moment he actually sees her remains.

To be fair, if Toyokawa Yuu's stubbornness were to crumble, it would actually be a good thing for Mortis.

He will have to accept the fact that Shoko Toyokawa has really passed away, and he may be heartbroken, he may weep, and he may even be unable to control himself.

But overall, it was like giving yourself a real chance... and giving others a chance too.

However, these are all secondary. The most important thing is... Mortis doesn't want to hurt Toyokawa Yuu's feelings.

I... have no reason to lose no matter what.

Because Hachiman Kairin betrayed Toyokawa Hatsune's identity, she was destined to never gain Toyokawa Yuu's true trust again, and Chihaya Aine...

Having long since moved to England, she can no longer integrate into her own circle, and no one else can compete with her.

I've already won; I don't need to hurt Yuu Toyokawa's feelings to further solidify my advantage.

Having already successfully shared a bed with Yuu Toyokawa, I've already won; all that's left is for time to prove.

"Let's bury Xiangzi as soon as possible. Grandpa Dingzhi, Aunt Ruihui, and Uncle Qinggao have been waiting for her for a long time."

After thinking for a moment, Mortis reorganized his words and adopted a more tactful approach to advice.

"...Let everyone go out first, I want to be alone with Xiangzi for a while."

After a moment of silence, Toyokawa Yuu slowly spoke, but did not follow Mortis's suggestion.

Walking around the altar placed in front of her, Toyokawa Yuu's fingertips lightly traced the coffin lid, her eyes swirling with indescribable emotions, her voice low and suppressed.

The mourning hall was unusually quiet, so Toyokawa Yuu's voice easily echoed through the space, momentarily pausing the somber atmosphere. Many people took the opportunity to exchange glances.

They were eager to end this long-standing pretense, and the moment Toyokawa Shoko was truly buried was like the ringing of the lunch bell for high school students—a grand feast was about to begin.

Unfortunately, according to the tradition of etiquette, the hammer that rings the bell is now in the hands of Toyokawa Yuu.

But at this point, is there any point in this desperate procrastination?

A few disdainful glances quietly grew among the crowd, but this was, after all, a reasonable requirement in accordance with etiquette, and no one had the right to raise any objections.

Let alone just spending some final moments alone with the deceased, theoretically, even the task of nailing the coffin in place could be personally handled by Yuu Toyokawa.

So, under Mortis's direction, everyone else left the mourning hall one by one, leaving only Toyokawa Yuu behind.

"I'll wait for you outside. Tell me immediately if anything happens."

Mortis whispered a word in Toyokawa Yuu's ear, his golden eyes looking at the man beside him one last time, but in the end he only left a soft instruction before silently leaving the mourning hall.

However, the door was not completely closed; instead, a crack was left open, allowing some sunlight to shine into the mourning hall.

The hall, which had previously been filled with the faint sound of breathing, was now completely silent.

Once she was sure everyone had left, Toyokawa Yuu gradually relaxed, pressing her hands against the edge of the coffin lid and pushing it open a crack.

A ray of sunlight slipped into the mourning hall through the crack in the door, leaving a thin line in Toyokawa Yuu's eyes and blurring the scene before him.

This was the first time in all the deaths that Yuu Toyokawa had ever seen Shoko Toyokawa's remains.

Her long blue hair, but perhaps because it wasn't convenient, wasn't tied up in two pigtails like it had ten years ago. Instead, it was loosely draped, like a thin veil beneath her.

That face, so familiar to him, was almost unchanged from ten years ago, only a little more mature, exactly the same as the portrait placed on the altar.

Although she had passed away, there was no trace of fear or pain on Toyokawa Shoko's face. Instead, she looked quite peaceful, as if she were just sleeping quietly.

Dry ice refrigeration, antibacterial coatings... many expensive but effective methods have temporarily preserved the remains of Toyokawa Shoko.

The enormous wealth allowed Toyokawa Yuu to temporarily hold back his deceased wife's time, enabling him to maintain a semblance of dignity even in the face of death.

Whether it was because the mortician had arranged her remains or it was Toyokawa Yuu's imagination, he even felt that Toyokawa Shoko was smiling slightly, as if she was hoping for something.

This was the first time Toyokawa Yuu had ever truly seen a corpse, but perhaps because she had died several times before, she didn't feel any significant emotional turmoil.

"...I never expected to see such a quiet side of you."

After a long silence, Toyokawa Yuu never expected that the first words he uttered when facing his deceased wife's remains would be such a poignant reflection.

His previous words to Wakaba Mutsu were not merely words of comfort or empty rhetoric.

Yuu Toyokawa didn't really feel that Shoko Toyokawa had truly left him.

Even if he dies immediately, it won't be long before he can see his lively fiancée from ten years ago again.

However, when the quiet Toyokawa Shoko truly came into Toyokawa Yuu's view, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions.

My heart and lungs started to pound involuntarily, as if a gust of air was surging up my spine beyond my control.

But it felt as if a nail had been driven into his throat, and he could no longer make a sound after that exclamation. Only his lips moved silently, and even the rising heat was choked back in his throat.

Finally, Toyokawa Yuu lowered his eyes, swallowed the rising air that was stuck in his throat, and gently stroked his deceased wife's face with his fingers.

Her face had long since lost all warmth, so cold it seemed to freeze your fingertips. It was unclear whether this chill came from Toyokawa Shoko herself or from the dry ice placed at the bottom of the coffin to preserve her appearance.

Despite the slight discomfort, Toyokawa Yuu did not stop what he was doing. His fingertips slid down his deceased wife’s face, past her neck and shoulders, and finally stopped in Toyokawa Shoko’s palm.

Gently taking in those hands that had become slightly larger, Toyokawa Yuu even had the leisure to compare them. If it were herself ten years ago, her hands would probably be easily enveloped by them.

Xiangzi......

Exhaling softly to stop her wandering thoughts, Toyokawa Yuu realized that she had been thinking too much about meaningless things.

Using the excuse of seeing one's deceased wife one last time cannot be delayed for too long.

If you want to do something, you need to act on it as soon as possible.

Yuu Toyokawa took the pocket watch out of her pocket and placed it in Shoko Toyokawa's hand, slowly controlling her fingertips.

Clench your fists and place your palms together in front of your chest.

Having died repeatedly, the only item that could possibly be related to her past lives was placed in a coffin by Toyokawa Yuu, who will soon be buried alongside Toyokawa Shoko.

Anyway, I'll probably die again soon. Even if no one comes to kill me, I'll still have to go back to ten years ago.

Staying here will prevent us from gathering any more information.

The burial of Toyokawa Shoko was a signal that a deceased head of the family had received the dignity he deserved, and that the rest of the family no longer needed to pretend.

With only the mediation of Wakaba Mutsumi and Mortis, Toyokawa Yuu didn't know if she could survive.