Transmigrating Behind the Mirror to Become Her Guardian Lady - Chapter 7

No matter the circumstances, as a daughter of the Jiang family, Jiang Weilu did not have the right to be willful. The world would not stop turning simply because Shu Mengli had vanished.

At seven o’clock in the morning, when Uncle Chen politely knocked on her door, Jiang Weilu was forced to emerge. She gave a muffled response, rubbing her red, bloodshot eyes the result of a sleepless night and carefully tucked the small mirror into her pocket.

By the time she finished getting ready and headed downstairs, Jiang Ming had already left for the day. Only her stepmother, Liu Yi, and her half-sister, Jiang Yuxi, were seated at the dining table.

Liu Yi was truly a formidable woman. Only one night had passed since the events of the previous day, yet she acted as if nothing had happened, returning to her gentle and hypocritical facade. Seeing Jiang Weilu descend the stairs, she even smiled and beckoned to her.

“Lulu is down! Come quickly and have some breakfast.”

Unfortunately, the finger marks where Jiang Ming had pinched her chin had not yet faded; they had turned from purple to a bruised black, sitting hideously upon her otherwise delicate face like grasping claws.

Jiang Weilu’s temperament was hardly better. Over the years, her personality had grown gloomy and taciturn under her stepmother’s “upbringing,” especially when facing someone like Liu Yi. She treated the woman’s words like wind passing her ears, not even sparing her a glance. She simply reached out, grabbed a piece of toast from the table, and walked out the door with her small backpack to wait in the car for school.

She gave her no face at all.

The hypocritical smile on Liu Yi’s face fractured. She watched Jiang Weilu’s retreating back, her palms clenched tight until her knuckles turned white, only relaxing after a long moment. She smoothed her expression and looked at Jiang Yuxi, who was eating beside her.

“Xixi, do you remember everything I told you?”

Jiang Yuxi looked up and flashed a smile. “Don’t worry, Mama.”

At School

Jiang Weilu and Jiang Yuxi were ten and eight years old, respectively. Both attended the most prestigious private elementary school in the Imperial Capital, so naturally, they shared a car in the morning. Throughout the journey, both were lost in their own thoughts, and the ride remained silent until they reached the school.

9:00 AM. The Classroom.

It was the second period of the day. Jiang Weilu had no interest in the lesson; while the teacher babbled enthusiastically on the podium, she kept her head down, staring intently at the small mirror hidden in her desk drawer.

The round mirror was ancient and beautiful. Small enough to fit in her palm, its clear, translucent surface reflected Jiang Weilu’s bloodshot eyes, exposing the deep anxiety in her heart.

What happened to the Guardian Miss? Why did she suddenly disappear? Did she abandon me?

“No, that’s not it,” Jiang Weilu whispered to herself, shaking her head immediately. She was certain of one thing: the look of surprise on her “Sister’s” face proved that she hadn’t known she was going to vanish.

Thus, only one worry remained: Will Sister appear again?

Jiang Weilu was so deeply immersed in her own world that she failed to notice a girl in the corner of the classroom who had been observing her for a long time under the cover of a textbook.

When the bell rang, the classroom fell into chaos. The spying girl took one last look at Jiang Weilu before slipping out the door and surreptitiously making her way to the back of the teaching building. A group of people was waiting for her, led by none other than Jiang Yuxi.

It wasn’t surprising; given the Jiang family’s status, there were plenty of people eager to curry favor. Jiang Yuxi was never short of lackeys. Jiang Weilu, on the other hand, had been suppressed by her stepmother for years. Combined with her gloomy disposition, she was a loner at school.

Despite her young age, Jiang Yuxi had a wicked and arrogant streak. She looked at her crony with a haughty expression. “Was there anything unusual about Jiang Weilu today?”

The girl replied quickly, “It was actually quite strange. Her eyes were bright red today, and she was dazed all through class, constantly staring at a mirror in her hand.”

“A mirror?” Jiang Yuxi was puzzled. She had never heard of Jiang Weilu owning a mirror. But she recalled her mother’s instructions to watch for anything “unusual”—like if she suddenly obtained something new or became close to someone.

Maybe this is the ‘thing’ she obtained?

“Where is Jiang Weilu now?” Yuxi asked.

“I saw her heading to the restroom just now.”

“Is that so?” A smirk played on Jiang Yuxi’s lips.

She had disliked this so-called “sister” since childhood. This home belonged to her mother and her father; what right did a motherless child like Jiang Weilu have to be there? She felt this half-sister had usurped much that belonged to her and often tripped her up. Thinking of how her mother had been scolded by her father yesterday because of Jiang Weilu, her anger flared.

“Come on, let’s go over there.”

The Restroom Incident

On the third floor, Jiang Weilu sat in a stall, looking worriedly at the mirror in her hands. Having not slept all night, the child was exhausted. Her eyes were swollen from crying and streaked with red, making it hard to even keep them open. Yet she didn’t dare close them, terrified she would miss her Sister’s return.

The mirror only reflected her own face. The beautiful, ethereal young lady was nowhere to be seen. Jiang Weilu shook her head, the weight of disappointment nearly crushing her. Seeing that class was about to start, she had to stop her ruminations.

Creak.

As she pushed the stall door open, light flooded in, revealing a scene that made her heart stop. Just two paces away stood a group of girls of various ages, all staring at her like tigers watching prey. The restroom was eerily quiet; the other students had likely been chased out.

At the head of the group was Jiang Yuxi.

Having been bullied many times before, Jiang Weilu understood the situation instantly. She immediately stepped back to close the door, but Jiang Yuxi’s sycophants were faster. One taller girl yanked the door open and grabbed Jiang Weilu’s arm, dragging her out.

Jiang Yuxi stood there with her arms crossed, her expression mocking. Her eyes shifted and caught sight of the mirror Jiang Weilu hadn’t had time to hide.

“What is this?”

Jiang Weilu’s pupils shrank. She gripped the mirror tightly and struggled with all her might. “Let me go!”

But she was no match for several people, especially given her thin and weak frame. Jiang Yuxi watched her struggle as if watching a monkey show, thoroughly amused. She stepped forward and reached out to snatch the mirror. Because Jiang Weilu’s grip was so fierce, Yuxi had to use significant force to prize it away. The mirror’s beautiful wood carvings scraped against Jiang Weilu’s palm, causing sharp pain, but she could only watch helplessly as her treasure was taken.

In that moment, she went feral. She struggled with a life-risking desperation, her wrists bruising under the hands of the girls holding her.

“Give it back to me!”

Startled by this sudden ferocity, Jiang Yuxi stepped back. She was curious about what made this object so precious, but after turning it over a few times, she saw nothing special about it. However, if destroying something Jiang Weilu loved made her happy, that was enough.

Jiang Yuxi gave a sinister smile and raised her hand high, intending to smash the mirror right in front of Jiang Weilu’s eyes!

Jiang Weilu’s breath hitched. With a roar of desperation, she lunged forward. The hands pinning her were pulled so hard it caused agonizing pain, but she managed to break free for a split second. She threw herself forward and snatched the mirror back just as she collided with Jiang Yuxi.

Stunned by the sheer violence of the impact, Jiang Yuxi didn’t even think to dodge. She was sent flying backward.

Bang!

She slammed into the door panel behind her. Her forehead scraped harshly against the iron door handle, and blood immediately began to spray. No matter how wicked she was, Jiang Yuxi was still only an eight-year-old child. Seeing her own blood splatter so far, she was stunned for a moment before bursting into a wailing sob.

“Help! Mama, I’m going to die!”

The cronies were terrified, standing frozen in place. Only Jiang Weilu acted as if she hadn’t seen a thing. She looked down, repeatedly checking the small mirror. Seeing it was undamaged, she let out a sigh of relief. She stood up calmly, patted the dust off her clothes, and looked at the crying Jiang Yuxi with a gloomy, dark gaze. She didn’t look at the pool of blood on the floor.

“You dare touch my mirror? Try it again.”

She turned and left. The crowd parted like a tide; no one dared to stop her.

The Punishment

“Speak!”

“Jiang Weilu, why did you hit her? Why are you causing trouble at school?!”

Jiang Ming’s handsome face was covered in frost as he spoke through gritted teeth. “You have completely humiliated me.”

It was now four o’clock in the afternoon, four hours since the restroom incident. When the teachers discovered what happened, they immediately called Jiang Ming. Given the status of the two girls, the school didn’t dare discipline them directly. As expected, Jiang Ming was incandescent with rage and brought both children home for a reprimand.

As a father, he didn’t ask about Jiang Yuxi’s injuries, nor did he ask why they had fought. His first instinct was to blame them for “losing face” for him. He knew the Old Master of the family hated internal strife above all else; therefore, no matter how much Jiang Ming fought with his own brothers, he always maintained a facade of peace. If his brothers found out his own household was in chaos, they would surely use it against him.

Jiang Weilu was still a child. Being forced to kneel on the floor while her father blamed her without context made her indignant. “It wasn’t like that, Father. It was Jiang Yuxi…”

Just as she started to speak, Liu Yi’s wailing rose at the perfect moment. She held Jiang Yuxi, weeping hysterically. “My poor baby! Look at how she was bullied! If you’re disfigured, Mama won’t want to live anymore!”

She then looked at Jiang Weilu with tearful eyes. “Lulu, why do you hate us so much? If you have a problem, come at me, but please don’t do this to my Xixi!”

Hearing the word “disfigured,” Jiang Yuxi lost all composure and wailed even louder. For a time, the small Jiang residence was filled with an unbearable din.

Jiang Weilu suddenly felt like laughing. She looked at the people before her like an outsider: a cold-hearted father, a poisonous stepmother, and a stupid sister. This was her life—a complete farce.

Fortunately, not long ago, she had met a Guardian Sister. That Sister was so good, so gentle—the only person who would ever feel sorry for her. But today, she had almost lost her.

For the first time, Jiang Weilu hated her own weakness. She craved to be stronger because she finally had something she cared about something she refused to let anyone take away. If she were stronger, could she stay with the Guardian Sister forever? The thought made her lips curl into a faint, involuntary smile.

Coincidentally, her stepmother looked over at that moment and gasped, “You… you’re still smiling?!”

Jiang Ming turned and his rage peaked. He slammed his hand on the table. “Jiang Weilu, you are utterly unrepentant! I thought you were just a disappointment, but I didn’t realize you were so malicious!”

He worried how angry the Old Master would be if he knew he had such a daughter. “Butler, fetch the family rod.”

A hidden glint of joy flashed in the stepmother’s eyes, though she feigned a protest. “Ming, isn’t this too much?”

Even Uncle Chen couldn’t bear it. The Eldest Miss was so thin; how could she endure the rod? But Jiang Ming’s mind was set. “Go.”

Uncle Chen sighed helplessly and left, returning with a long rod of dark wood. It was thick and emitted a cold, terrifying luster. Jiang Weilu watched it, her eyes devoid of emotion as she knelt straight-backed and silent.

Jiang Ming didn’t hold back. The rod swung through the air with a whistle, slamming into Jiang Weilu’s back.

Clang.

Her frail body was knocked flat to the floor. Through her clothes, red welts began to rise. Jiang Weilu gritted her teeth and didn’t cry. She slowly crawled back up, stubbornly refusing to speak.

I hit her. I was wrong for that. But an apology? Never.

After three strikes, Jiang Weilu was deathly pale. Cold sweat poured down her forehead, and her lower lip was bitten raw and bloody. She lay on the floor, unable to get up, but she didn’t make a sound.

Exasperated, Jiang Ming threw the rod to the floor with a sharp crack. “Winter break is coming anyway. Don’t bother going back to school. Go to Pear Town and reflect on your actions! Don’t come back until the New Year!”

He stormed off in a rage. Liu Yi was delighted. Although she suspected Jiang Weilu wasn’t responsible for the incident yesterday, she had remained suspicious. She hadn’t expected that by sending Xixi to test her, the little brat would dig her own grave. The house would be peaceful for the next few months.

The Reunion

Eventually, Jiang Weilu was carried back to her room by Uncle Chen and a maid. The maid sighed in pity as she applied medicine to the girl’s back, but she could say nothing. Who could interfere in the affairs of a wealthy family?

Once the maid left and closed the door, Jiang Weilu lay on the bed, her face pale. Her long lashes cast shadows over her tear-filled eyes. she pulled the hidden mirror from her pocket and stroked its surface. Seeing her own reflection and her bloodshot eyes, a tear finally fell onto the glass.

The child who had remained stubbornly silent during the beating finally broke. Clutching the mirror, her heart full of grievances with no one to tell, she sobbed quietly.

“Sister… Sister, it hurts so much.” “Sister, please don’t leave me.”

At that moment, Shu Mengli knew nothing of what was happening on the other side. She had just returned home from work. Earlier, she had driven to the folk shop where she bought the mirror, only to find the place had already been rented out to someone else. The clue to the mirror’s origin was gone.

Shu Mengli tossed her bag aside and sank into her soft sofa. As she tried to clear her mind, her eyes drifted to the carved mirror sitting by the dining table. She couldn’t help but get up to try again. She pressed her fair palm against the glass, leaving a faint print, but nothing happened. She still couldn’t pass through.

“Last time it was night. Do I really have to wait for that specific time?” she sighed. “Or… can I never go back?” She shook her head. She wouldn’t give up so easily. She had an appointment to keep.

By midnight, Shu Mengli had eaten, showered, and changed into her strawberry-print pajamas. She had mindlessly watched several episodes of a TV show, testing the mirror every so often with no luck. But she persisted. In the fog of waiting for an unknown path, she didn’t forget her promise to Jiang Weilu.

Tick.

The clock struck midnight. A new day began.

Suddenly, the carved mirror on the sofa side table began to glow. The light was soft and warm, like a hazy moon in the night sky. Shu Mengli bolted upright, her phone forgotten on the sofa. She reached the mirror in three strides, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of her throat.

She took a deep breath and slowly reached out. Her fingertips touched the lunar glow of the mirror’s surface. It felt like touching a weightless mist or cool lake water, sending out ripples.

She passed through!

Seeing herself move through the glass while fully conscious was a miracle. She looked back at her room one last time, gritted her teeth, and stepped in completely.

In the blink of an eye, the scenery changed. Shu Mengli stood once again in the mirror space. The shimmering water curtain stood before her amidst the boundless darkness.

I really can travel!

This confirmed her theory: if she wasn’t mistaken, she could enter the mirror at midnight and would wake up at home around 6:00 AM. She didn’t know why, but she could now travel back and forth to speak with Lulu.

Lulu!

Thinking of the child, Shu Mengli snapped out of her excitement and looked toward the water curtain. The girl must have been terrified when she disappeared. She had to tell her she was back.

However, when she looked at the scene within the curtain, she froze. She remembered the little girl’s room was a low-key, luxurious black and white. But the room she saw now was a retro, elegant classical yellow not at all the style of that quiet, introverted girl.

Relief washed over her when she saw the child’s figure nearby, her back turned as she packed things. Shu Mengli watched for a moment to ensure no one else was around before calling out.

“Lulu, this isn’t your room, is it?”

In the next second, she saw the little girl spin around in total shock.