Transmigrated as Jane’s Ghostly Godmother - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: But I Don’t Even Know Your Name—Building Trust…

Jane had a very long dream.

In the dream, the dining room at Gateshead did not have that uninvited ghost. Instead, she was discovered by John hiding behind the curtains. A struggle ensued; she was dragged to the Red Room and locked away. Afterward, she suffered a high fever and was finally sent away by Mrs. Reed.

She sat in a carriage, unsure of the direction or the distance, eventually arriving at a school. Just as she tried to read the stone tablet marking the place, the sky grew dark, thunder rolled, and rain lashed down on her, making it hard to breathe. She could only follow the crowd into the building.

How cold it was. The heavy, stifling atmosphere filled her with a profound loneliness, forcing her to press her hands to her forehead in prayer—

“I don’t want to be here.”

“Please, let me be happy.”

The moment the wish left her lips, she felt a sensation of weightless falling. Jane instinctively flailed her hands, grabbing the thick quilts. She opened her eyes awkwardly on the bed, waking from that nonsensical yet vivid dream.

“You’re awake? Do you want some water?” The eyes looking at her with concern were no longer those of a stranger. Jane panted, trying to piece together what had happened during her last moment of consciousness.

“…” She opened her mouth to speak, but the door was pushed open.

It was Bessie. Seeing Jane sitting up, the capable young maid gasped and rushed over. “Miss! You’re finally awake!”

Jane hesitated, and Bessie habitually felt her forehead, sighing in relief. “The fever has finally broken. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”

Jane’s instinct was to shake her head and say she had no appetite, but she glanced at Lin Zhao standing silently by the bed and changed her mind.

“I am very hungry,” she said softly but clearly. “I would like some bread and milk, and some jam if possible. Please… please bring a lot.”

Bessie gave her a surprised look. Usually, this child had the appetite of a tiny kitten; it was rare for her to ask for so much. But seeing her spirits improved, a genuine smile appeared on Bessie’s face. “Alright, Miss, wait here. I’ll get it right away!”

The door closed, leaving the two of them alone. Lin Zhao couldn’t suppress the smile in her eyes. She leaned in and whispered, “I prepared a surprise for you.”

Jane’s heart skipped a beat as the cold dream she just had loomed over her like a shadow. She blurted out, “…Is it about leaving here? To go to school?”

It was Lin Zhao’s turn to be shocked. She had wanted to keep her in suspense, but the girl had guessed it in one go. She studied Jane’s face. Jane had been unconscious the whole time and hadn’t spoken to the doctor; how could she know about the school?

Despite her confusion, Lin Zhao didn’t deny it. She sensed the faint trace of fear in Jane’s voice. Softening her tone, she asked, “Do you hate the idea?”

Jane thought for a moment and slowly shook her head. Leaving Gateshead, John’s fists, and Mrs. Reed’s cold stares was a good thing. But…

She remembered the suffocating cold and isolation of her dream. It was a different kind of despair than the one she felt at Gateshead. …If she went to school alone, would she truly face such a situation?

She hesitated, then looked up and held Lin Zhao’s gaze. “…Will you still be with me?”

The face asking was pale and full of trepidation. Lin Zhao’s first thought was that Jane still doubted her and feared for the future—but how could she ever hurt Jane?

Living at Gateshead had forced Jane to develop such a guarded mind. Lin Zhao felt a mix of hurt at being mistrusted and an ever-growing pity for the girl. Lost in these tangled emotions, she fell silent.

The awkward silence didn’t last long. Bessie returned with the food, interrupting them. “Here, Miss, eat something.”

Relieved, Lin Zhao signaled to Jane that she was leaving for a moment. Jane instinctively wanted to stop her, but Bessie sat on the edge of the bed, her movements blocking Jane’s line of sight.

Lin Zhao left the room quickly, her pace almost like an escape. Downstairs in the parlor, Mrs. Reed sat pale on the sofa. Her three children surrounded her, yet they couldn’t smooth the deep frown on her brow.

“Mother, why are you ignoring me?” John Reed tugged at her sleeve. “You promised me a new pony!”

Annoyed, Mrs. Reed brushed his hand away. “Stop it, John.”

Seeing his mother’s coldness, John’s mischievous side took over. He lunged at her, mimicking a ghost. “I’m going to eat you!”

Usually, Mrs. Reed would just scold him. But this time, she jumped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She grabbed John’s arm and hissed, “Quiet! Your father is watching; you ought to change your wicked ways!”

The outburst left the children stunned, and even Mrs. Reed froze. She looked at her trembling hand, her face white.

Lin Zhao wasn’t interested in the Reed family drama. She watched silently, thinking of something else: If Jane really doesn’t want me to follow her, where will I go? She didn’t want to stay in this hateful place. Besides, if Jane went to school and she wasn’t there, wouldn’t Jane be bullied even more?

Watching John recover from his shock and start crying even more maliciously, Lin Zhao picked up a piece of bread from the table and tossed it at him.

“Ah!” John screamed as the bread hit him, and Mrs. Reed’s face turned even paler.

No.

Lin Zhao made up her mind. No matter what, she had to stay with Jane. If Jane didn’t agree, she would spend the time to slowly convince her.

Back in the nursery, Jane watched Lin Zhao’s disappearing back and then at the food Bessie had provided. She felt a bit gloomy. She had asked for extra specifically to share with that thin-looking “ghost.”

She picked up a piece of bread with jam and forced herself to eat.

Bessie watched her. The frustration she felt earlier while watching the fight with John had turned into pity. She sighed and tucked the blankets around Jane. “There, Miss, don’t think too much,” Bessie said softly. “Don’t take Master John’s words to heart. The atmosphere in the house is… strange today. You aren’t the only one feeling it.”

Seeing Jane look up, Bessie glanced around as if afraid of being overheard. She leaned in and whispered, “Between you and me, I think this house might be… haunted. You don’t know, but earlier, the Mistress was scared half to death near the Red Room.”

Jane stopped chewing. She immediately thought of Lin Zhao’s “surprise.” Her lips couldn’t help but curl into a tiny, hidden smile.

Bessie was stunned by the reaction, then grew angry. “Miss! You’re always like this! This spiteful nature, taking pleasure in others’ misfortune, is what people hate most! Have you thought about what you’ll do if the Mistress actually gets fed up and kicks you out?”

Jane’s smile froze. She pursed her lips. This wasn’t the first time she’d been criticized for being ungrateful, but she never understood what she was supposed to be grateful for. The cold glares? The bullying? The mockery from the sisters?

The familiar sense of injustice surged. But this time, beneath the emotions, the image of that “guardian spirit” with those black, all-seeing eyes appeared in her mind.

“This is not your fault.”

Of course. I know.

Jane felt much better. She said nothing more, finished her food, and watched Bessie leave, muttering about how Jane “couldn’t finish it after all.”

The nursery was empty again. Jane leaned against the headboard, lost in thought. She replayed the events of the last two days, landing finally on “school.” She couldn’t help but mutter aloud: “So, will that ghost go with me?”

“Why are you calling me that?”

A light, laughing voice rang out in the quiet room. Jane jumped, instinctively wanting to dive under the covers, but she forced herself to stay still.

She turned to see Lin Zhao, who had returned with a solemn expression. Jane gave a soft “Mhm” and stubbornly retorted, “I don’t even know your name—if you even have one.”

It was true. Despite all their talking, they hadn’t had a formal introduction. Lin Zhao walked to the bed, looking at the vivid expressions on the little girl’s face.

In her first year of university, when the teacher asked everyone to register an English name, Lin Zhao had chosen “Jane” without hesitation. At the time, she just wanted to honor the character she loved. Who would have thought she’d one day introduce herself to the real Jane?

She cleared her throat, deciding to swallow the English name for now.

“My name is Lin Zhao. You can just call me Lin.”

“Lin… Lin Z-zao…?”

Unsurprisingly, Jane struggled with the pronunciation. The slightly awkward sound in Lin Zhao’s ears brought a surge of bittersweetness to her heart. In this strange land and era, having someone call out her real name in their own voice was a comfort.

“Yes,” she replied softly. “It’s me.”

She looked into Jane’s eyes and made a solemn promise. “Don’t worry. I will always stay with you.”

Jane fell silent. She blinked at Lin Zhao’s earnest gaze. The unwavering determination made her feel a bit overwhelmed, though her long-standing suspicion hadn’t fully vanished.

It doesn’t have to be ‘always,’ she thought silently, clutching the quilt. When I graduate and can take care of myself, we can separate.

Having made up her mind, she looked up at Lin Zhao and squeezed out an unnatural smile. “Okay.”

“Who are you talking to?”

The door was suddenly thrown open. Mrs. Reed’s voice, cold as ice water, crashed between them. Her thin eyelids were heavy, but they didn’t hide the sharp, suspicious glare she fixed on Jane.

“Jane Eyre, who are you talking to?”