Transmigrated as Jane’s Ghostly Godmother - Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Preparation — Organizing Everything, Except This Feeling…

The lingering warmth of the dream was so scorching that for the next few days, Jane threw herself into her work with redoubled focus. Only this way could she suppress the unplaceable, restless guilt that made her skin crawl.

After realizing her true feelings for Lin Zhao, the letters she sent to London had shifted, becoming packed with dry business matters. Eventually, she stopped writing altogether.

Firstly, Lin Zhao’s return date was approaching, making correspondence lose its timeliness. Secondly, after that reunion in her dream, whenever she picked up a pen, she couldn’t stop herself from writing down a torrential outpouring of longing.

Fortunately, the daytime busyness did not subside, allowing her a moment’s respite in her work—except at night, when those smiling eyes would invariably reappear in her dreams.

The dreams started in various ways: some were recollections of the past, others were fantasies of the future. No matter the scenario, Lin Zhao was always by her side, just as she used to be. Compared to the variety of the dreams, the moment she realized she was dreaming was always the same.

Jane’s gaze would unconsciously fall upon the other’s lips; whenever she noticed this, the person would crinkle her eyes and lean in with a grin.

“Where are you looking?”

Now that she was of age, Jane attended every necessary evening banquet. Although she never participated in the flirtatious banter of the social circles, she couldn’t help but be influenced by the interactions she witnessed—the lingering words and playful gazes between men and women. she knew the ambiguous meaning behind certain behaviors.

Hugs—an embrace of arms; kisses—a peck on the cheek; in daily life, these were mere etiquette for greetings. But if two people pressed too close, or if a kiss landed too far to the side, the meaning changed entirely.

The Lin Zhao in her dreams clearly knew these social rules. After asking that question, she would always reach out to touch Jane. Her fingertips would slide down Jane’s cheek, pausing at the jawline, before her thumb brushed over Jane’s lips.

“Jane, is this what you want to do?”

The first time she heard those words in a dream, she snapped her eyes open, hugging her quilt and staring at the ceiling for a long time before she could catch her breath. But as the dreams grew more frequent, the moment of her awakening came later and later.

One night, she was nearly pinned down, on the verge of turning this fantasy into a complete kiss.

When she jolted awake, the dawn hadn’t even fully broken. Jane didn’t dare sleep again. She changed her clothes and headed straight for the docks, volunteering herself for the supervisor’s duties.

After a morning spent running across half the island to confirm orders, she returned to the firm for the umpteenth time to sign papers. Terry, who truly couldn’t stand her frantic pace anymore, lectured her earnestly for ages. Only then did she reluctantly give up her afternoon plans and return to the manor for her reading lesson.

“Jane, you look energetic today. Did you have a good dream last night?” When she received Miss Temple’s greeting, Jane was staring at her book, lost in thought.

Hearing those words, Jane felt as if she had been burned. The heat she had spent all morning trying to lose rushed back from her neck to the tips of her ears. She instinctively lowered her eyes and stammered, “…I slept very well, thank you.”

Miss Temple’s gaze lingered briefly on her flushed cheeks, then, as if noticing nothing, she gently steered the conversation elsewhere. “I heard from Mrs. Alves that you left before dawn this morning?”

“Yes.” At the mention of work, Jane’s voice immediately tightened, returning to her usual professional gravity. “There is much to handle; there never seems to be enough time. I still have so much to learn; I must work harder.”

“Hard work is a virtue, and you seem to have a clear plan, which is good.” Miss Temple looked at the title of today’s book and added meaningfully, “But sometimes, one must decisively prune unnecessary branches so the main trunk can grow stronger.”

“Breaking unrealistic expectations in a timely manner is a form of mercy for everyone.”

At first, the sentence sounded cryptic. But given today’s reading—Richardson’s Clarissa—the implication was clear. Jane sighed softly and asked, “Has Mr. Davis been asking you about me again?”

Miss Temple smiled slightly and opened the book, an unspoken confirmation.

“I understand.” Jane’s brow furrowed for a split second before smoothing out. She cast her eyes down, refocusing on the text. “Then, Teacher, let us begin.”

As soon as the reading lesson ended, it was the scheduled time for Mr. Davis to come and sign a contract. Usually, when the business concluded, he would find any excuse to stay. But today, before he could speak, Jane stopped him.

“Mr. Davis, if you aren’t too busy, why don’t we stay and talk?”

The radiance on the gentleman’s face didn’t last long; it dimmed instantly under her solemn and direct refusal.

“I believe, Mr. Davis, that I need to express my thoughts to you more clearly. I appreciate your favor, but whether now or in the future, I will not consider any engagement involving you.”

The smile on Davis’s face froze. “Miss Eyre, have I offended you in some way?”

“Quite the contrary; you are an impeccable gentleman.” Jane looked at him, her green eyes devoid of hesitation. “It is for that very reason that I do not wish to waste any more of your precious time. My future plans do not include marriage. My heart could never belong to you.”

Her world, her heart, had long been filled to the brim by another; there was no room left for even a speck of dust.

Seeing Davis’s complexion worsen, she spoke again before he could respond, offering him a small smile.

“However, I trust this will not affect our relationship as partners.” Her tone softened. “The cooperation between the Giannito Chamber of Commerce and yourself is based on a mutual recognition of business credit and ability. I hope this pure commercial relationship will not be clouded by my personal decision. Mr. Davis, you are a shrewd businessman; I presume you agree?”

Davis’s face shifted between pale and ashen. He squeezed an answer through his teeth, struggling to maintain a final shred of dignity.

“…You are right, Miss Eyre. Business is business.” He gave a stiff twitch of his lips and stood up. “It seems our conversation is over. Thank you for your candor. Good day.”

After seeing off the grim-faced Davis, Jane felt an unprecedented sense of relief. Using this burst of courage, she immediately knocked on her father’s study door.

Her busyness during this period had served other purposes besides suppressing her growing longing.

Once granted permission, she walked to the desk and laid down a proposal she had organized over the past few days—a plan for the future expansion of the Giannito Chamber of Commerce’s overseas operations.

“Father, I have gained some insights while handling the firm’s affairs recently. I believe that with the Chamber of Commerce, we can try to root our business more deeply in England.”

Jane paused, suppressing her racing heartbeat as she organized her words.

“Previously, it was inconvenient for you to travel back and forth. Now that I am familiar with most of the operations, perhaps one day in the future, I could go back to England and try?”

With her father’s support, she had learned the business quickly. Because of this, she was able to see many opportunities that were previously overlooked. She wanted to prove her independence, and seeing the chance, she prepared decisively.

John Eyre’s eyes flashed with surprise. He hadn’t expected Jane to think so far ahead so quickly. But his gaze swept over the proposal, paused, and then landed on his daughter’s tense face.

He was well aware of how she had been working herself to the bone lately. Because of this, he couldn’t help but worry about something else.

“Before that, I want to hear your thoughts. How do you feel about your interactions with Mr. Davis?”

Not surprised to be asked, Jane was prepared. If anything, this proposal was the best evidence of her resolve.

Jane wore a proper smile. “Father, he is a good partner. I think if we want to develop the Lisbon market further, he would be a great help.”

Business only—nothing else. Staring at his daughter’s impenetrable expression and the meticulously prepared proposal beneath his hand, John Eyre sighed silently and didn’t press further. His fingertips returned to the proposal, slowly turning the pages.

“It is good that you have this determination. I will look at this carefully.” His eyes were on the paper, but his words were for his daughter. “However… you don’t need to push yourself so hard. Terry tells me you haven’t rested for a moment these past few days.”

“Do not worry about me, Father,” Jane answered without hesitation. “I learned during my time at the Harrisons that anyone who truly wants to shoulder the responsibility of a family must go through such a stage.”

“Jane. To me, you never need to measure yourself by any standard or prove anything. I have already decided to leave everything to you.” John Eyre frowned slightly, his voice dropping with genuine emotion. “I only hope you can enjoy a few more years of being carefree. You can slow your pace; between family members, it is okay to lean on one another.”

“…” Jane could see her adoptive father truly had her best interests at heart. Her nose stung, and her tone softened. “I know, Father.”

Seeing the exhaustion finally leak through her tense expression, John Eyre spoke gently again: “That’s good. Now, can you promise me you’ll take a few days to rest? It’s one thing if others say I mistreat my daughter, but I cannot actually let you work yourself into illness.”

Jane said nothing; she simply looked at her father, her eyes growing warm, and then gave a solemn nod.

Family, blood—the warmth she had once craved had finally embraced her after all these years. Realizing this, she almost wanted to cry. When she was taken in as his ward, she was already quite old. Driven by her longing for affection, once the initial awkwardness ended, they had shared moments of father-daughter closeness. But after receiving her training as his successor, Jane had learned to mirror her father’s reserved public persona, and her speech had become more restrained.

This bit of restraint didn’t escape the adult’s eye. John Eyre had cooperated, being strict in his requirements and not changing his methods of cultivation due to outside opinions. However, the concern that she might be suffering in silence never truly disappeared from his heart. After hearing rumors about his daughter’s “admirers,” he had seriously considered the matter of her marriage.

These were things a father and daughter couldn’t easily discuss. From start to finish, the only mistress of Vine Manor was Jane. So, he had devised an indirect way to test her. Now, Jane had read the situation and given her answer.

John Eyre noticed her expression, his own heart filled with mixed emotions. As always, the feelings between father and daughter remained hidden beneath words and actions; he simply soothed her with a warmer smile.

“Alright, go and rest. Let me see what surprises our little strategist has brought me.”

As his voice fell, Jane nodded vigorously once more. Just before turning to leave, she suddenly gathered her courage, leaned forward across the large desk, and gave her father a somewhat clumsy, fleeting embrace.

Before John Eyre could react, she turned and ran quickly out of the room, leaving only a door swinging gently in her wake.

The chaos of the past few days had finally been resolved in one fell swoop. Jane felt she now had to face the final and most important thing she had been avoiding: she had to seriously think about what attitude she should use when Lin Zhao returned.

Even after those absurd dreams, she had no confidence she could pretend well.

Rubbing her face, Jane walked down the stairs, intending to have some tea to calm her nerves. Unexpectedly, as she entered the living room, Mrs. Alves saw her and walked over quickly, holding a letter.

“Miss, there is a letter for you.”

Jane took the envelope. As soon as she saw the handwriting, her body went rigid. It was from London, signed by “Lintner.”

She forgot about her desire for tea and immediately tore open the letter, scanning it rapidly. By habit, she would usually read quickly once and then slowly, repeatedly. But this time, after just one glance, her eyes went wide.

The letter said plans had changed; she was returning early. According to the date on the letter, by now, the ship from London had likely already docked.

Jane grabbed her skirts, ran up the stairs in two or three bounds to change her clothes, and didn’t forget to shout for Mrs. Alves. Her words poured out like a stream, overflowing with uncontrollable joy.

“Mrs. Alves, quickly, prepare the carriage! I must go to the docks immediately—”