Transmigrated as Jane’s Ghostly Godmother - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: May I Have This Dance? Reunion After a Long Absence, Joy and Gloom…

What does it feel like to reunite with someone you had a very poor first impression of?

Looking at the question itself, it is destined not to have a pleasant answer. If Jane were to answer, her mood upon spotting a certain someone at the ball could be summed up in two blunt words: Awful.

When they arrived at the ball, it was nearly time to begin. In the vast banquet hall, everywhere she looked were ladies and gentlemen in fine attire. Thinking of Lin Zhao’s “See you at the ball,” Jane ignored social etiquette and searched everywhere for a figure that might be her.

The person she expected was nowhere to be found. Instead, her gaze swept past the bright colors and noticed a dark, out-of-place shadow in the corner.

Standing there was a figure whose gender was impossible to tell at a glance; not a single inch of skin was exposed. If you asked others, they would likely guess it was a man based on the suit and trousers. But Jane’s reason for a similar guess was much simpler: those who acted against custom without being stopped were usually men.

Following this assumption, she observed more closely and noticed further eccentricities in the outfit.

The formal wear was unlike anyone else’s, clearly custom-made: from the shoulders of the loose uniform, a wide cloak extended backward, and even the hood behind the neck was much larger than usual. He was not wearing the cloak over his head; instead, he wore a top hat with an oversized brim that obscured most of his forehead. The remaining part of his face was hidden by a special full-mask—the eye area of which was sewn with thick, see-through gauze, making it impossible to know what the eyes peering from behind looked like.

Further down, the jaw, neck, and the back of the head not covered by the hat were completely wrapped in a luxurious, exquisite silk scarf. Having gone to such lengths, he naturally did not forget his hands; protruding from the sleeves was a pair of snowy-white formal gloves.

As she counted these strange garments one by one, Jane almost instantly remembered the “mummy” she had glimpsed from afar in the carriage yesterday.

Awful. Simply awful. It was truly hard to imagine what kind of person would dress like this for a ball. Her impression of this person shifted from “ancient grotesque of an old tomb” to “sinister, mysterious assassin.”

The “assassin proficient in conspiracy” accurately found the young lady whose head was full of strange guesses amidst the crowd. Seeing the figure turn toward her and begin walking in her direction, Jane’s heart nearly stopped from fright.

Was her noticing him earlier some kind of premonition? She hoped such a bad intuition would never happen again.

She looked left and right, trying to dodge, but among those attending with her, someone else was watching the surroundings and noticed her reaction.

Mr. Harrison’s attitude toward her had not changed a bit due to their previous argument; he remained in that condescending, lecturing posture toward a child. He cleared his throat, accepting an unvoiced invitation on her behalf:

“Jane, remember, a qualified lady will never, under any circumstances, refuse a dance from a proper gentleman. It is etiquette, and it is your duty.”

Just by walking over, he’s invited me? Besides, where is he ‘proper’?

Jane was horrified. Before she could question Mr. Harrison, Miss Constance, noticing Mrs. Harrison’s awkward expression, spoke up playfully: “I certainly didn’t know, my dear brother, when you became interested in the ‘womanly’ duty of instructing a lady’s poise?”

She emphasized the word “womanly” with pointed clarity. Mr. Harrison’s mustache twitched imperceptibly; he ultimately just gave her a cold sweep of his eyes and did not respond.

During this brief verbal sparring, the central figure of the controversy had reached Jane. He was much taller than her. He gave a slightly clumsy bow, then extended his hand, palm upward, without saying a word.

If the person’s getup weren’t so terrifying, Jane truly wanted to demand: “If a lady’s etiquette is not to refuse, is a gentleman’s etiquette to remain silent?”

But this “gentleman” seemed to possess a very distinguished status; many hidden gazes around them pricked her like needles, weaving an invisible web. Jane took a deep breath and, nearly gritting her teeth, placed her fingers upon his.

“Jane…” Lina called out worriedly, but she only managed a syllable before her mother inconspicuously pulled her aside. In a flash, Beatrice moved first, grabbing Lina’s hand and decisively forming a dance partnership with her, leading her away from her mother’s control.

Jane didn’t want her friends to worry. She turned back and forced an “I’m fine” smile toward them, then, with a sense of resolute martyrdom, walked into the dancing area with her very impolite partner.

The ladies and gentlemen preparing to dance found their partners, gradually surrounding them.

As the lively chatter rose around her, she began to feel something was wrong. The hand supporting her palm was separated by a glove, making it impossible to feel its temperature, but the grip was quite gentle and—very familiar.

The girl tilted her head slightly and saw strands of hair escaping from the top hat. Fine black hair peeked out from the gauze, standing out against the white silk scarf around the neck. It was strange; the outfit gave a sense of seeking privacy while being quite casual.

She pursed her lips, restraining her urge to ask questions, while her eyes continued to scan the person. The eyes were hidden behind the full mask, and the fine gauze prevented her from peering in—but Jane had an intuition that the other person was also watching her.

So familiar. Have I seen him somewhere else? A distant glance from a carriage shouldn’t create this kind of déjà vu.

Before Jane could figure it out, the dance music began. The hand holding hers flipped, leading her into the first steps, while the other person’s hand rested on her waist.

Contrary to her expectations, she did not feel repulsed by the palm supporting her. Instead, because of that restrained distance, she was reminded of a certain someone who always acted that way.

“!” Jane’s eyes widened instantly.

She stared at the mask with a burning gaze, wishing she could see through the obstructions to confirm the suspicion in her heart.

“…” The other person seemed to give a soft chuckle, but the movements of the dance accelerated, causing the laughter to drift away from her ear in an instant.

In the spinning, Jane felt a bit dizzy, wondering if she was hallucinating. But a second later, she became even more certain of her guess due to the incredible harmony of their coordination. After all, appearances and voices can be disguised, but bodily reactions cannot lie. The person dancing with her clearly knew her every movement by heart.

Proving the theory was actually quite simple…

Jane steadied her mind, caught a small beat in the music, changed her steps, and seized the lead. This was a little trick she occasionally played during her practice routines back at Ashford, and only one person would naturally accept it. After a few rotations, Jane’s hand landed on the other person’s waist, and the rhythm was not broken in the slightest.

“Lin.” This time, she was able to call out the name with certainty.

The mysterious partner chuckled again, and this time the laughter was much more cheerful: “Long time no see, Jane.”

The moment she received the answer, the burden in Jane’s heart lifted, and her breathing grew ragged. Lin Zhao seemed to have expected this, as she naturally changed her posture and took the lead again.

The grand music filled the entire banquet hall. In the ballroom, people’s steps were light, the crisp beat of heels clicking on the polished floor perfectly matching the rhythm of the music. Outside the dance floor, conversation and bursts of soft laughter rose and fell, invisibly weaving between spinning skirts and elegant hems.

A luxurious yet relaxed atmosphere permeated every corner, and the lights made the crystal glasses transparent and bright, reflecting countless tiny, dazzling spots of light like the sun.

Since setting foot in Madeira, Jane’s mood had never been as light as it was at this moment. She opened her eyes wide, observing Lin Zhao with a gaze many times more serious than before. The grotesque outfit became interesting the moment the owner’s identity was revealed; even those few hasty strands of hair seemed casually cute.

“Lin,” Jane called out again.

“Mmh, it’s me,” the answering voice was as gentle as ever.

“…”

Why are you dressed like this? Where have you been these past few days? Is the task you had to do finished? Why didn’t you keep your word? Why show up like this?

…Too many questions wanted to be asked, bubbling out from her heart and making her restless. Jane was almost getting used to this feeling; whenever they reunited after a short absence, her curiosity became as uncontrollable as a forest fire. She felt she would sooner or later learn to ask a hundred questions in a second.

She couldn’t do it yet, so she could only purse her lips and stare at Lin Zhao in silence.

Lin Zhao didn’t press her. Even wrapped up airtight, she was still the patient Fairy Godmother when she met Jane. She slowed her steps, leading Jane through the waves of dancers and naturally moving toward the secluded edge, away from the crowd.

As the noisy voices grew distant, Jane could hear the pounding of her own dancing heart. She took several deep breaths before digging out the first question from her mixed emotions.

“…Are you really Lin?” She locked eyes with those few strands of hair again. She knew Lin Zhao would make changes to gather information, but seeing it in person was still too shocking.

The answer that reached her ears was not like usual; the laughter was clear, a joke in the form of a question: “Only asking that, Jane? If I were a genie in a lamp who only answered three questions, you would have wasted a wish for nothing.”

The unfamiliar tone made the joy of the reunion in Jane’s heart fade slightly. Following closely behind was the surge of negative emotions from being alone these past days. She furrowed her brows, quite uncooperative: “But you aren’t. You’re more like a ghost who doesn’t keep their word. You had time to write letters, why couldn’t you come to see me in person?”

“…I’m sorry, Jane. Just saying it won’t sound very convincing—but I truly couldn’t get away.” Lin Zhao apologized decisively. As she spoke, she didn’t forget to lead Jane through several sweeping steps following the rhythm of the music.

Perhaps because she couldn’t see Lin Zhao’s expression, Jane’s feeling about this apology was subtle. As the dance entered its first crescendo, she silently withdrew her gaze, shifting it back to their interlocking steps and concentrating on the current fast beats.

It had been over half a month since they last danced together. No matter how much chemistry they had, they would make mistakes if they were distracted. Jane attributed her reason for not wanting to respond to this.

As for her sudden silence, Lin Zhao still did not interfere, simply focusing on the dance in coordination. They finished the dance in silence.

As the next song began, the tempo was quite slow—music they had practiced to. By habit, Jane wanted to stand closer to Lin Zhao, but the latter shook her head and kept a distance: “We’ll be seen. Etiquette dictates I shouldn’t be too close to you.”

Lin Zhao had a point, so Jane stood further back. But the gloom in her chest grew heavier, so she tried to drive away the bad mood through conversation, asking with concern: “You look… alright now. Did the accident that held you back get resolved smoothly?”

“Of course. Thank you for worrying. In fact, I even made some money for our future.” The hands holding hers tightened, and the pride in her voice was unhidden. “You don’t have to worry about the sponsorship anymore.”

Now that the topic was open, Lin Zhao took the opportunity to briefly explain what she had done over the past few days.

She spoke about how she contacted John Eyre, how she maneuvered regarding Lina’s marriage, and how she earned money as a mysterious information broker to dress herself like this just to dance with her. However, she omitted the potentially worrying part about her fainting, ending instead with another apology for her broken promise.

“I’m sorry. I saw the letter you left. It was my fault for not being by your side then. Fortunately, you handled it very well.”

“…I didn’t manage to do much. It’s lucky you were there to help with Lina’s betrothal.” Jane remembered that awkward attempt and almost couldn’t help but sigh. Along with that, her resentment over Lin Zhao’s absence vanished completely after the explanation. “Besides, you did say on the ship that you would try to come. In such a situation, it really was impossible to get away.”

Actions speak louder than words. Lin Zhao had done so much, which completely demonstrated how much she valued her promise.

As she spoke, Jane remembered the initial promise she had been thinking about yesterday.

“Dedicated to solving my problems, making me happy…” she murmured subconsciously, realizing that Lin Zhao had indeed been consistent with this from start to finish. At this moment, her brain filled in the rest of the promise after that sentence—and then go home.

Lin Zhao will leave one day.

This thought appeared suddenly, giving Jane a start. She quickly spoke, forcing herself to focus back on the current conversation: “But how did you make them believe you? They can’t see…”

Halfway through, she felt regretful again, as the answer was actually quite obvious. “Wait, no—that’s why you’re dressed like this.”

“Yes, it was actually you who gave me the inspiration, Jane. Do you remember our conversation that day at the tailor shop?” Lin Zhao, unaware of Jane’s internal struggle, picked up the thread naturally.

“Of course I remember—” I’m still thinking about the troubles from back then.

She couldn’t finish her sentence; the regret in her heart turned into gloom. Jane continued in her mind: You look like you could live very well here; do you really have to go back?

Lin Zhao misinterpreted her abrupt halt as discomfort with the outfit and asked somewhat nervously: “Why have you stopped talking? Do I look very strange?”

Yes, very strange. It can probably only work for a moment; you can’t live like this forever. Once the awe people feel at first sight dissipates, they will stop at nothing to uncover your true face. And in the end, you still have to leave here.

Jane answered at length in her mind, even countering her own previous question. She watched Lin Zhao’s eyes moving behind the mask and polished her thoughts quite stiffly: “It is a bit strange. I actually saw you outside the tailor shop yesterday; I thought you were a mummy that had crawled out from somewhere. But it doesn’t matter. Anyway, you aren’t exactly something that needs to be approached by others—I mean, you’re my ghost, aren’t you?”

“I prefer the title ‘Fairy Godmother,’ you know.” There was a flash of helplessness in Lin Zhao’s tone. “But even though it’s strange, the merchants actually quite like me.” She grew proud again.

“What’s the use of them liking you? You’re leaving sooner or later anyway.” Jane couldn’t help but let her inner thoughts slip out.

Oh no. She stiffened almost immediately and even stepped on Lin Zhao’s feet several times because of it.

“Careful.” Lin Zhao caught her, not letting her fall, the exaggerated mask facing her.

…Don’t ask me why I said that, I don’t know either. Jane’s mind was in a mess, seriously wondering if she hadn’t slept well.

But Lin Zhao paused, and when she spoke again, her tone was actually cheerful: “That’s not necessarily true.”

This answer made Jane’s eyes widen. She didn’t even know what she was expecting, but she instinctively gripped Lin Zhao a little tighter, asking impatiently: “What’s not necessarily true?”

“Leaving Madeira. Ahem, I don’t want to ruin the surprise for you, so why not wait until you talk to your uncle yourself?” As Lin Zhao answered, Jane heard the dance music coming to an end.

Her eyebrows drooped instantly, both disappointment and anticipation rising for unknown reasons. The change in expression was too obvious. Lin Zhao noticed and immediately asked anxiously: “Why do you look unhappy? Speaking of which, you haven’t even asked me about your uncle. What’s wrong?”

Jane blinked, giving up on thinking about those mysterious emotions in her heart. Yes, how could she have completely forgotten about her uncle?

Mmh… is that why I’ve been so restless tonight? Regarding this matter, she was indeed very nervous.

“I’m sorry…”

“I think I’m just a little afraid. Wait, let me confirm first—is he really here?”

“Of course, I said so in the note. In fact, after the dance, we can go find him.”

“…” Jane couldn’t help but fall silent, the dread in her heart expanding further. But the tune officially entered its final few beats. Lin Zhao pulled her, gliding toward the crowd.

“Stay close to me. We need to avoid the Harrisons a bit,” Lin Zhao said seriously. Jane instinctively looked toward Mr. and Mrs. Harrison and saw that they had already left the floor, looking around as if searching for someone.

The dancers gradually slowed their pace and began to move toward the edge of the dancing area. Those not dancing surrounded them, beginning to raise their glasses, and the laughter grew noisy.

Lin Zhao picked a moment when no one was paying attention, pulled Jane into her cloak, covered her, and dashed off in a completely different direction.

Light and shadows flickered. Jane lifted her skirt, closely following Lin Zhao’s steps. As the music ended, they left the laughter and voices behind, all sounds blurring in the wind.

She heard her own heartbeat, pounding violently with every step. It was also at this moment that she stared at Lin Zhao, her curiosity about this ghost growing deeper.

If she leaned close to her chest now, would she be able to hear a single heartbeat escaping from within?