From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Young Master Bai pointed at Yan Ruyu with an arrogant air, as if he had caught her red-handed, his tone full of contempt: "Caught red-handed! You still want to deny it?" Yan Ruyu felt a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water on her, and her mind was buzzing.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

who is it?

Who is trying to frame her?

She quickly recalled everything that had happened in the library, and a sneaky figure flashed through her mind—it was Young Master Bai!

She had glimpsed him once in a corner of the library, acting furtively and suspiciously. At the time, she assumed he couldn't find the book, but now, thinking back, he was clearly...

Yan Ruyu's gaze was sharp and piercing, fixed on Young Master Bai like a hawk locking onto its prey.

"Young Master Bai, you accuse me of stealing books, do you have any evidence?" Her tone was cold, with a hint of accusation.

Young Master Bai sneered, as if victory was assured: "This ancient book is so precious, who else but you could have access to it?" He looked around, his eyes full of provocation.

The surrounding students began to whisper among themselves, their suspicious gazes shifting back and forth between Yan Ruyu and Young Master Bai.

Yan Ruyu clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her flesh, but she remained calm. "This book was given to me by the dean. If Young Master Bai doesn't believe me, he can ask the dean." She turned to look at Dean Su, her eyes filled with determination.

Dean Su stroked his beard, looking somewhat troubled. How was he supposed to answer that?

To tell the truth would offend Confucius, while to lie would go against one's conscience.

He coughed lightly and said, "This...this book is indeed valuable, but it's not that..." Before he could finish speaking, Confucius interrupted him: "Dean, this book is a unique copy. How can we be so careless? Miss Yan's origins are unknown, so we must be cautious!"

Confucius's words were like a bomb, causing a stir among the crowd.

"Yes, where did this girl come from? I've never seen her before." "Could she be a thief in disguise?" "Book thief! Throw her out!" In an instant, all sorts of doubts and insults rose and fell, surging towards Yan Ruyu like a tide, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

Yan Ruyu's heart sank. She took a deep breath and her eyes were firm: "Since I dared to come to the academy, I never thought of stealing! I will definitely prove my innocence!" She looked around and her gaze fell on a corner where a slender figure was looking at her with concern. It was Miss Ye.

A glimmer of hope ignited in Yan Ruyu's heart. "Miss Ye, do you remember who we met in the library?"

Miss Ye recalled for a moment, then timidly pointed to Young Master Bai in the crowd: "I...I saw Young Master Bai acting suspiciously in the library, and...and he was carrying a cloth bag." Yan Ruyu looked in the direction Miss Ye was pointing, and Young Master Bai's face instantly turned pale, his eyes darting around, and he dared not meet her gaze.

"Mr. Lu, does the academy have surveillance cameras?" Yan Ruyu suddenly asked.

Mr. Lu was stunned for a moment, then realized that there was no surveillance footage, but he understood what Yan Ruyu meant.

After a moment's thought, he said, "Although the academy has no surveillance cameras, there is an ancient bronze mirror in the corner of the library that can reflect the scene inside, although it is a bit blurry."

Yan Ruyu's eyes lit up: "That's enough!" She led everyone to a corner of the library and sure enough, they found a mottled bronze mirror.

Although the image is blurry, you can still vaguely see the sneaky figure of Young Master Bai and his action of hiding the book.

Upon seeing this, Young Master Bai turned pale and trembled all over, like a rabbit being watched by a hunter.

"No...it wasn't me! I didn't!" he stammered, only sounding more guilty.

Yan Ruyu sneered and turned to Dean Su, saying, "Dean, the truth is out." Dean Su looked at the image in the bronze mirror, his face ashen. He glared at Confucius and angrily rebuked, "Confucius, is this what you call 'of dubious origin'? Is this the good student you taught?" Confucius's old face turned bright red, and he couldn't utter a single word.

The surrounding students were in an uproar, their gazes towards Yan Ruyu filled with admiration and respect.

Seeing that the female lead had successfully proven her innocence, Xu, the male lead, excitedly pushed through the crowd and ran to Yan Ruyu's side, embracing her tightly. His burning gaze seemed to melt her: "Ruyu, it's so good that you're alright!" A happy smile appeared on Yan Ruyu's face as she gently leaned on Xu's shoulder.

Applause and cheers erupted around them. In the joyful atmosphere, Xu, the male protagonist, gazed at Yan Ruyu with deep affection and whispered in her ear, "Ruyu, I like you. I've liked you since the first time we met." Yan Ruyu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded shyly. The two embraced tightly, as if time had stood still at that moment.

"Ahem," Dean Su cleared his throat, breaking the warm atmosphere, "Now, shouldn't we talk about the future development direction of the academy?" He gave Confucius a meaningful look, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

After the incident at the library, Xu's new ideas spread like wildfire throughout the academy.

The students eagerly studied his articles and discussed his views, sweeping away the previously dull academic atmosphere and filling the academy with sparks of intellectual exchange.

Some people were talking loudly, some were deep in thought, and some even imitated the tone of the male protagonist, reciting poems and couplets with their heads swaying, looking like thinkers of the new era.

Yan Ruyu, with her extraordinary wisdom and courage, became a "wise and clear-headed person" in the eyes of the students of the academy.

Wherever she goes, people greet her warmly, calling her "Sister Yan" with great affection.

Yan Ruyu handled the situation calmly, occasionally offering a few pointers, displaying a rather authoritative air about her.

To recognize Yan Ruyu's contributions, Dean Su held a grand celebration in the academy garden.

Colorful flags fluttered, flowers bloomed in clusters, laughter filled the air, and the atmosphere was lively and festive.

Yan Ruyu and Xu, the male protagonist, walked hand in hand along the garden path, receiving congratulations from everyone.

The sunlight shone on them, as if gilding them with a layer of gold. The man was handsome and the woman was beautiful; they were simply a match made in heaven!

Yan Ruyu wore a faint smile, enjoying this hard-won glory.

The male protagonist held her hand tightly, his gaze gentle and tender, as if the whole world had shrunk to just the two of them.

The garden was ablaze with flowers, each vying for attention with its own unique beauty. The air was filled with an intoxicating fragrance, and butterflies fluttered among the blossoms. Everything was so beautiful and harmonious.

However, at this joyous moment, a man in black appeared silently in the crowd, handed a letter to Yan Ruyu, and then quickly disappeared into the crowd like a ghost.

Yan Ruyu opened the letter, her face instantly turning deathly pale. The letter slipped from her hand and fluttered to the ground.

Xu, the male protagonist, noticed Yan Ruyu's unusual behavior and asked with concern, "Ruyu, what's wrong?" He followed Yan Ruyu's gaze and saw a letter lying on the ground with the words "The Yan family is about to perish" written on the envelope.

“This…” Xu’s voice trembled, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

Yan Ruyu gripped Xu's hand tightly, her fingertips icy cold.