Transmigrated as Jane’s Ghostly Godmother - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: The Portal of Fate Swings Open — Jane Reunited with Her Uncle!

The banquet hall was vast, with a considerable distance between the dance floor and the dining area. There was a constant flow of people between the two, dressed in all manner of finery. Even so, a figure wrapped so tightly that not an inch of skin was visible caused more than a few heads to turn as they hurried past.

Lin Zhao had grown accustomed to ignoring such stares, but for Jane, it was still a bit much. As they passed a decorative indoor palm, Jane tugged on the hem of Lin Zhao’s cloak and pulled her behind it.

The broad fronds provided a temporary sanctuary, cutting off searching eyes and giving Jane a moment to breathe. She was about to speak to distract herself when Lin Zhao lightly touched her arm. She pointed toward a dining table not far away.

“Jane, do you see that gentleman in the top hat? That is your uncle, John Eyre.”

Whatever Jane was about to say stuck in her throat. She instinctively looked in the direction Lin Zhao indicated. Her vision wavered as it landed on the gentleman in the top hat, currently engaged in conversation. He had brown hair just like hers; from the angle of his back, she couldn’t see the color of his eyes.

She felt lightheaded, as if her soul were about to float right out of her body. If only I could, she thought. She could float silently in front of him, study him closely, and only return to this uncooperative body once she had gathered enough courage to speak.

Until this moment, Jane realized she had never truly dared to fantasize about the moment she would meet her uncle. She feared that all hope was a mere mirage, so she had buried those flickers of light deep in her heart to avoid the path to despair.

“Don’t be nervous, Jane. I’m right here with you.” Lin Zhao withdrew her hand and rested it gently on Jane’s shoulder. “Trust me. He is a true gentleman, and he has been looking forward to this meeting just as much as you have.”

The slight trembling beneath her palm gradually stilled at those words. Jane turned and looked up at Lin Zhao with a trace of pleading in her voice: “Can you take off the mask for just a moment?”

Lin Zhao knelt to meet her gaze and did so without hesitation. With the mask removed, Jane finally looked into those profound, dark eyes she remembered so clearly. She saw her own tiny reflection within them, just as it had always been.

“By the way, I should have told you this from the start,” Lin Zhao said, her eyes curving slightly. “Jane, you look beautiful tonight. The people here should feel lucky that they get to glimpse even a fraction of your beautiful soul.”

Jane’s breath hitched. She hadn’t expected to hear Lin Zhao’s thoughts on her appearance in such a moment. The immense tension made her brush it off as mere comfort. “…It is an expensive gown, after all. Even I can look presentable in it.”

Lin Zhao’s smile faded into a serious look of denial. “No. Regardless of price or quality, clothing is always an external thing. The person I see has never changed. I believe in you. You will make a choice that follows your heart, won’t you?”

Jane understood the encouragement. Yes, she had been encouraging her to take this step all along. Just as she always had. Hadn’t they come to Madeira specifically for this moment?

Jane nodded forcefully. she gave Lin Zhao a quick, tight hug, took a deep breath, and turned toward the table.

Every step felt like walking on a blade. Jane closed her eyes; when she opened them, she was standing near the gentleman. A trembling voice, one that hardly sounded like her own, rang out: “Excuse me… Mr. Eyre?”

John Eyre, interrupted by the soft call, looked surprised at first. He turned to her with a look of polite inquiry, but the moment he saw her face, the inquiry turned into hesitation. His gaze swept over her features, his voice softening instinctively.

“Can… can I help you, Miss?”

Jane felt as if her tongue were tied in knots. Even though Lin Zhao had replaced her mask and was standing not far behind her, assuring her this was her uncle, Jane still wavered. She stammered out a greeting: “H-hello, sir…”

Is your name John Eyre? Do you have a brother who was a clergyman? Do you know a niece named Jane Eyre? Can I call you Uncle? Would you hate her for appearing before you so suddenly?

Countless words tumbled in her mind, yet her heart pounded like a drum, and she couldn’t say a single one. She simply stared hungrily at that aging face with the fine wrinkles at the corners of the eyes, trying to find some physical evidence of kinship so she wouldn’t say something irredeemably stupid.

Mistaking a stranger would be disappointing, but she could bear that. However, if he truly were her uncle and did not rejoice at her appearance, how would she handle that crushing despair? The thoughts overwhelmed her like a tidal wave. Breathing became difficult. She turned her head and took a step back.

Behind her, she felt a pair of gentle, strong hands.

“It’s alright, Jane. He has already recognized you.” Lin Zhao’s voice hit the mark of her inner fears, offering a guarantee that was as reassuring as ever. “Look, he is nothing like a Reed.”

Jane gave a start and turned her gaze back to Mr. Eyre. John Eyre’s eyes had softened completely, filled with shock, sadness, and an indescribable tenderness. He seemed to lock eyes with Lin Zhao for a moment, exchanging a complex look, before stepping forward to close the distance between them.

“Forgive my intrusion, Miss,” his voice carried a trace of an imperceptible tremor, “but may I ask… your name?”

“…” Jane was so nervous she nearly forgot how to breathe. She used every ounce of strength to say clearly, “My name is Jane… Jane Eyre.” She paused and added, “I had a father who was a clergyman, and a brave mother.”

John Eyre’s expression softened completely. He placed a hand over his heart and gave Jane a solemn, deep bow. “I am glad to hear you say that, Jane. I believe we both knew the same brave couple.”

He straightened and took a small step closer, his voice carrying the weight of something precious found again. “That clergyman named Eyre was indeed my brother.”

He gazed at Jane as if trying to fill in all the years he had missed in a single look. His voice carried memories and a touch of a merchant’s clumsy, unspoken concern. “Your eyes… they are exactly like your mother’s. I have been thinking of you all these years, child. I always thought… that at your uncle’s house, you would be well cared for, so I put all my energy into my overseas business, thinking I would come for you when you were older.”

His tone was full of regret. “It wasn’t until recently that I finally had time to visit Gateshead. Your aunt… Mrs. Reed, she said you had been sent to a school dozens of miles away. Delayed by my travels, I intended to finish this most urgent business and go to you immediately. I never expected… I never expected to meet you here.”

“I have been thinking of you,”

“go to you immediately”…

These words were the most powerful refutation of all Jane’s insecurities and fears. She hadn’t been forgotten; she was being sought. Her existence was something that had been deeply anticipated. In that moment, the shadow of being an outsider and a burden that had occupied her heart for years was swept away by a noon-day sun of total acceptance. The warmth was so immense that it burned in her throat, leaving her choked up and unable to speak.

Her vision blurred with tears, and the brilliance of the banquet hall turned into a shimmering halo. The world lost all sound and color, leaving only the gentle, sad face of the man before her. After several attempts, she finally struggled to find the strength within that massive happiness to ask the question she had never dared to hope for.

“…Can I call you Uncle?” Jane opened her mouth, and with the question came hot tears.

John Eyre’s eyes also moistened instantly. He pulled out a snowy-white handkerchief and placed it gently in her palm. Then he nodded heavily, the joy in his eyes no longer hidden. “Come with me this way, child. I think you would like to hear more stories about them.”

Jane instinctively turned back to look for Lin Zhao. Only after receiving a firm nod did she tentatively place her hand in John Eyre’s extended palm. He led her to a quiet corner to begin a conversation that was over a decade late.

Watching them sit down, Lin Zhao stood in place for a moment. Once she was sure their conversation was flowing smoothly, she silently turned to leave. She passed through the crowd and slipped out a side door into the courtyard. The voices and music were completely cut off by the heavy doors.

She found a place to sit by a flowerbed. Through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, she watched from afar as Jane’s face flushed with joy.

I promised her happiness, but what is happiness, truly?

Lin Zhao didn’t know the answer, but giving Jane the chance to fight for her own happiness was her current goal. Now that the most critical part was achieved, her heart felt heavy with emotion—a long-lost, intense feeling washing through her chest. This reunion of an uncle and niece, separated by life and death and circumstance… it was a scene she had dreamed of countless times.

Little Jane would grow up well, reunite with the relatives who cared for her, and understand in a healthy, intimate relationship that the love she craved was not far away. Her naturally resilient soul would be tempered by this, allowing her to see the world through a softer, more far-reaching perspective.

The only regret was that, though she was moved, she could not shed a tear for her.

“Why such a bitter expression?”

While she was lost in thought, a head suddenly popped up in front of her. The nineteen-year-old girl waved a hand at her, her expression curious. “Do you want to cry?”

Lin Zhao instinctively took two steps back, feeling a bit helpless when she recognized the face. “Is my expression really that strange? Besides, encountering such a moving scene, it’s normal to want to cry, isn’t it?”

“Jane” looked at her, showing no intention of looking back into the banquet hall. She clearly knew the situation. “What about after this? What do you plan to do? Let her go? Let the uncle take over full responsibility for her education?” The girl held up her hand and ticked off her fingers. “Mmh… there are about eight years left until he passes away. That’s not a short amount of time.”

“Do I seem that irresponsible to you?” Lin Zhao began to doubt her old friend’s impression of her. She shook her head but continued to answer the question. “Originally, there wasn’t much I could teach Jane anyway. It’s better to let someone more suitable do it. However, since I’m not particularly interested in things other than Jane, I’ll probably stay by her side.”

At this, “Jane” stepped closer, searching for something in her face. After a long while, she spoke with a complex expression: “No, on the contrary, you are far more responsible than before. Both toward her and yourself.”

Lin Zhao was startled. Understanding the hidden meaning, she fell silent and turned her gaze back toward the house. The conversation ended there. The phantom figure flickered and vanished as suddenly as it had arrived.

The conversation between the two at the table seemed to have come to a temporary pause. Seeing Jane looking around, Lin Zhao stood up and headed back. It didn’t take long to return to them; this time, when John Eyre saw her, he tipped his hat before speaking.

“Thank you again for your efforts, Mr. Lint. Had it not been for you, the meeting with my niece, Jane Eyre, would have surely been much more complicated.”

Jane blinked, her gaze toward Lin Zhao revealing her confusion at the statement. Lin Zhao shook her head slightly; though the other couldn’t see it, she was indeed wearing a happy smile. She made a gesture for John Eyre to continue speaking.

John Eyre replaced his hat and spoke of his next plan: “I intend to take Jane back to the villa tonight. I want to spend a few days with her before she returns to England. As for Mr. Harrison, I must trouble Mr. Lint to inform him.”

Lin Zhao had intended to go back and get the copy of Jane Eyre that was inconvenient for Jane to carry, so she nodded and readily agreed. Since no one else could hear her, she spoke directly to Jane in public.

“I will come find you once I’ve handled these matters. I promise not to break my word this time.” She saw Jane’s eyebrows rise slightly at her words. “However, it is late. If I haven’t appeared by bedtime, do not wait for me. Also, if your uncle discusses future plans with you, just answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ according to your own heart. From now on, there will be many opportunities to make your own decisions like this.”

Jane couldn’t respond verbally, but she gripped her hands tight and gave a very small nod in response. She didn’t actually want to let Lin Zhao leave like this. Thinking about it, they really hadn’t spent a long time together for nearly half a month. She was happy to be reunited with her uncle, and she wanted to share the details of their conversation with Lin Zhao. After all, Lin Zhao was the only person in the world who knew how much she had anticipated this meeting—the one who had accompanied her and truly talked with her about it.

But she could say nothing. she only watched wistfully as the tall cloak turned and headed toward the distant crowd. The dim color was swallowed up by the shifting lights in an instant, and she could see nothing more.

“Let’s go, Jane. I have already prepared a room for you at the villa.” Uncle Eyre leaned toward her slightly, signaling for her to follow him.

After her uncle had shared memories of her parents, Jane felt much closer to him. Mrs. Reed would never have told her those stories; Jane’s curiosity, which had grown with the years, was finally being answered seriously.

She gave an “mmh” and followed her uncle. Just as they were about to walk out the door, she couldn’t help but look back once more.

The ball had entered its second half. A large crowd surrounded the dance floor, likely engaging in the “second project” she and Betty had argued about. A sense of weight, like a snake, coiled around her heart. Jane’s breath hitched; she quickly withdrew her gaze and stepped completely through the door.

The carriage had been waiting for a long time. On the way back, Uncle Eyre, just as Lin Zhao had predicted, began to speak of future arrangements. However, before those topics of the future opened up, he inquired with some concern about a certain person who was not present.

“Jane, how did you come to be acquainted with that Mr. Lint?”