Transmigrating Behind the Mirror to Become Her Guardian Lady - Chapter 3

“I… you… you can really talk?”

The little girl was terrified.

Seeing a living person inside a mirror and hearing them speak was a far greater shock than any of her previous guesses. For a moment, she forgot to answer Shu Mengli’s question, and even her panicked counter-question was stuttered.

Through the water curtain, Shu Mengli saw the girl’s reaction and gave a dry laugh. “Yes, I can.”

Not only can I talk, but back at the office during meetings, I’m quite the fast talker.

And it’s not just you who’s surprised; I am too! Who would have thought you could actually hear me!

Thinking back to just a moment ago, Shu Mengli couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated. Because she felt sorry for the girl, she hadn’t been able to stop herself from venting a few complaints. When she snapped back to reality, she found that the child, who had been sitting on the floor crying secretly, was actually walking toward her.

Shu Mengli was naturally a cautious person and instinctively silenced herself, not wanting to expose her presence. However, Jiang Weilu had already reached the mirror and even reached out to wipe the dust off the surface.

Then the girl froze, her eyes fixed as if she were looking directly at Shu Mengli, who was sitting cross-legged in front of the water curtain.

Shu Mengli was stunned for a moment, but she reacted quickly. A startling realization dawned on her: Could she actually communicate with people through the water curtain? Could this be the clue to going home?

With this thought in mind, Shu Mengli looked at the dazed little face on the other side and tried to speak: “You… can you hear me?”

The result was obvious. Whether it was Jiang Weilu’s startled jump or her panicked stuttering, it confirmed that she could indeed hear Shu Mengli. At this moment, the girl was a mix of terror and wonder.

After all, in Jiang Weilu’s short, dull, and lightless ten years of life, she had never seen such a miracle. For a while, fear and curiosity battled within her. She stood there struggling for a long time, but finally, the light of curiosity in her eyes defeated the fear.

Jiang Weilu clung to the shelf, her small legs kicking as she leaned closer. She looked at the person in the mirror and asked hesitantly, “Excuse me… are you a fairy?”

Otherwise, how could anyone be so beautiful?

The face on the water curtain suddenly zoomed in, and as the innocent voice echoed in the mirror space, Shu Mengli couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She instinctively reached out to touch her long, wavy hair that reached her waist, then looked down at her D-cup chest.

Who would have thought? Often teased by her best friend Jiang Xin as a “vixen” or an “enchanting demon” because of her sultry, devastating looks, she finally had a day where she was called a fairy.

“I’m not a fairy,” Shu Mengli replied, her eyes curved with a gentle smile.

“Then why are you inside the mirror?”

So I really am inside a mirror, Shu Mengli thought, raising an eyebrow.

It wasn’t until Jiang Weilu spoke that she finally understood her current predicament: she was trapped inside a mirror. She immediately pieced it together. It seemed she had fallen through her own mirror into this mirror world, and the water curtain in this world connected to another mirror.

It was as if this mirror dimension served as a bridge between two mirrors, allowing people on both sides to communicate.

However, Shu Mengli sighed inwardly. She didn’t know what the world on the other side was like or if it was dangerous. The most important thing now was to ensure no one else discovered her existence. If people knew there was someone inside the mirror, what would happen if the mirror was taken away or broken?

She couldn’t be sure if a broken mirror would affect her. In short, she had to stay hidden.

But she could consider following this little girl, Jiang Weilu. On one hand, she could observe this world without exposing herself to find a way back; on the other hand, she could help this child.

With her mind made up, Shu Mengli chose her words carefully. “I was here when I woke up.”

This wasn’t exactly lying to a child, as she really had fallen in right after waking up.

Children are indeed easy to coax. Hearing Shu Mengli’s words, Jiang Weilu’s eyes lit up with hope. “Then… are you an elf? Why are you only talking to me?”

Are you here to help me?

Jiang Weilu didn’t dare ask the last part aloud. She kept it buried in her heart, looking at Shu Mengli expectantly.

Perhaps it was because the hope in her eyes was so overflowing, or perhaps her cowardice was too obvious, but the moment Shu Mengli saw that gaze, her heart softened. Such a cute and beautiful little girl so soft and small should be growing up happily. She shouldn’t be so humble and desperate at such a wonderful age.

Besides, this would encourage the girl to protect the mirror she was in. It was a win-win.

Shu Mengli looked at Jiang Weilu’s small face with a gentle gaze and spoke softly. “Yes, I am the Guardian Lady of the mirror.”

After a pause, fearing the child might give her away to someone else, she added, “Your exclusive Guardian.”

“Guardian?” Jiang Weilu was completely stunned.

She was ten years old and in the fifth grade. Her worldview was forming, and she knew basic common sense. Moreover, being in a wealthy family—even an neglected one—she was subject to strict rules and education. She shouldn’t believe in gods or spirits, yet such a bizarre thing had appeared right before her eyes.

Jiang Weilu’s voice trembled slightly. “My exclusive guardian?”

“Correct.”

Suddenly, Jiang Weilu dropped from her tiptoes. She let go of the shelf and took a half-step back. The light in her eyes when she looked at Shu Mengli dimmed. “You’re lying.”

“Eh?”

Now it was Shu Mengli’s turn to be stunned. She had seen the child was ready to believe; why did she suddenly pull away? Surprised, she asked, “Why don’t you believe me?”

The thin girl stood before the mirror, her head bowed so her expression was hidden. After a long while, she spoke. “Because no one cares about someone like me. Who would ever guard someone like me?”

She looked up, tears shimmering in her eyes as she looked at Shu Mengli. “My stepmother targets me, my father says I’m useless… no one will ever like me.”

The soft, childish voice pierced Shu Mengli’s heart like a thorn, drawing blood in the form of pure heartache. She couldn’t imagine how this family treated the child. What she had seen today was just one corner of Jiang Weilu’s life how much bullying did she usually endure?

In that moment, Shu Mengli felt the weight of the situation. She could easily wash her hands of Jiang Weilu, but if even she gave up, what would happen to this little girl? Her life would fall into darkness from the very beginning.

That was too cruel. Shu Mengli couldn’t do it.

She looked at Jiang Weilu with sincere eyes and made a promise: “I’m not lying. I’m here to protect you.”

At that moment, Shu Mengli didn’t realize what those words meant. She had simply made a promise out of a moment of soft-heartedness, reaching out her hand to catch the girl who was about to fall into the abyss.

But she became the first person to ever walk toward the girl, the first to reach out. She had caught Jiang Weilu’s entire life. She became her only salvation and light for the rest of her days.

Hearing Shu Mengli’s words, the girl snapped her head up and looked at the small mirror in disbelief. She saw the beautiful sister in the mirror give her a mischievous wink, her voice as gentle as if she were coaxing a baby.

“So, how about I prove myself right now? Do you want to see your stepmother suffer the consequences of her own actions?”

7:00 PM. The Jiang Family Dining Room.

Warm yellow light spilled from the crystal chandelier, illuminating the luxury of the wealthy household.

The haughty little girl from earlier was now sitting quietly at the table, as cautious and small as a quail. Even the stepmother beside her looked somewhat constrained. All of this was due to the man sitting at the head of the table.

The man looked about thirty-five, the same age as the stepmother. He was exceptionally handsome but cold, carrying the powerful aura of a high-ranking superior. Just by sitting there, he suppressed everyone around him into silence.

This was Jiang Weilu’s “scumbag father” and the master of the Jiang household, Jiang Ming.

Once he finished a bowl of rice, the nanny behind him stepped up naturally to refill it without him having to say a word. During this gap, Jiang Ming glanced casually at the other two sitting at the table and finally remembered something. He spoke indifferently.

“Liu Yi, where is Jiang Weilu?”

Liu Yi, the stepmother, was prepared for this. She put down her utensils and displayed a perfectly measured, forced smile. “I sent someone to call her earlier, but Lulu said she didn’t want to eat dinner. I suppose the dishes I prepared aren’t to her taste.”

With a few casual words, she painted Jiang Weilu as a picky, rude, and ill-tempered child while playing the victim herself.

She could have said Jiang Weilu stole her things and was being punished in confinement, but that would make her look cruel and inconsistent with her “gentle” image. Furthermore, there was a risk that Jiang Ming might see through the setup. She knew Jiang Weilu was gloomy and taciturn; the child wouldn’t defend herself.

Her words worked. Jiang Ming frowned, his opinion of Jiang Weilu worsening, though he said nothing.

Liu Yi smirked inwardly. She had punished the little brat and lowered Jiang Ming’s opinion of her. Step by step, she would turn the girl into a gloomy, wealthy “useless” child and drive a wedge between father and daughter. It was a win on all fronts.

However, just as Liu Yi’s pride was peaking, someone unexpected entered the dining room. Butler Chen walked over to Jiang Ming with elegant but hurried steps, leaning in to whisper.

“Third Master, a large group of reporters has suddenly gathered outside.”

“Hmm?” Jiang Ming paused. He put down his bowl with a sharp clink and looked at Butler Chen with a frown. “What happened?”

Butler Chen kept his head down respectfully. “When we tried to turn them away, I asked a couple of them. They said they received an anonymous tip-off about a jewelry theft in our house involving tens of millions. And…”

“And more seriously, the tipster claimed there is child abuse occurring here—that the Eldest Young Miss has been locked in a storage room and is freezing to death.”

Jiang Ming lowered his gaze and wiped his mouth elegantly with a napkin. “I see. Find out which media outlets they are from and tell them to watch themselves.”

He tossed the napkin aside, a cold glint in his eyes. While the Jiang family was a top-tier household in the capital and usually low-profile, Jiang Ming’s father was still in power, and Jiang Ming had two cunning older brothers waiting for him to make a mistake. Someone had leaked this news, and the reporters had swarmed like fish sensing blood.

Jiang Ming stood up, his face expressionless. He showed no joy or anger, nor any apparent concern for his daughter. He seemed to have forgotten Liu Yi’s claim about Jiang Weilu “throwing a tantrum and refusing to eat.” He spoke coldly to the butler.

“Follow me. I’m going to the storage room to take a look.”

Sitting nearby, Liu Yi’s face turned pale instantly. Her fingers tangled together; her hands and feet went cold. She hadn’t expected this. She had done this dozens of times before, and this was the first time she had been exposed.

Who leaked it? Was it that little brat? No, she had ordered the door locked, and the room had no windows; escape was impossible. If Jiang Ming hadn’t been home, she could have handled this, but he was here today!

Having been Jiang Ming’s partner for nine years, she knew what he valued most: the reputation of a prestigious family. If such scandalous things happened and were reported by the media…

Cold sweat broke out on Liu Yi’s forehead. She stood up hurriedly and followed them.

The storage room was in the basement. Normally, no one but the cleaning staff came here. It was dark and freezing. Even as they reached the stairs, the chill crept up on them, making the accompanying servants shiver.

Soon, they reached the door.

Click.

The lock fell with a metallic rattle. The butler used the key to open the door.

It was past 7:00 PM in winter, and the sky was pitch black. The storage room, with its broken light fixture, was a void of darkness a lonely abyss. As the door opened, the bright light from the hallway rushed in, illuminating a corner of the room.

Only then did everyone see the girl curled up in the corner, shivering violently. Her lips were white, and she was pale; she was nearly frozen stiff. One servant gasped, unable to bear the sight.

Jiang Weilu, huddled on the floor, heard the noise and instinctively looked up. She saw the man standing in the center of the crowd her father, who never smiled.

However, Liu Yi was faster. Before anyone could react, she lunged forward, intending to silence Jiang Weilu with her own words. “Lulu, you”

But this time, she failed. For a fleeting moment, Liu Yi felt the brat had suddenly become smarter. Before Liu Yi could finish, Jiang Weilu grabbed her arm tightly and blurted out the truth first.

The thin girl burst into tears the moment she saw her stepmother, then quickly tried to hold them back an agonizingly pitiful sight. She clung to Liu Yi’s arm, pleading desperately.

“Auntie Liu, I really didn’t take your necklace. You can search me if you don’t believe me! Can you please let me out? Usually, it’s fine, but today it’s just too cold.”

Usually? So this wasn’t the first time.

Liu Yi gasped. She laughed awkwardly and tried to pull her hand away, but Jiang Weilu held on with a death grip. During the struggle, Jiang Weilu’s hand “accidentally” brushed against Liu Yi’s right pocket.

Clink.

An emerald gemstone necklace fell from the pocket, landing in plain view of everyone. The sound was crisp like a slap to Liu Yi’s face.

Jiang Ming shifted his gaze from the necklace to Liu Yi, his eyes filled with ice.

“Liu Yi, explain this.”