When a "Sea King" is Bound to a System [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 3

The first thing Jiang Yan does after waking up is ask her maids about Jiang Zhen’s situation. When she learns her mother punished Jiang Zhen by sending her to the laundry room, she collapses onto the bed.

Dong Xue immediately rushes over, asking anxiously, “Miss, what’s wrong? Is your dizziness back?”

Qiu Yue’s eyes dart around. She ponders what she just said but can’t find anything wrong with it. Why is the Miss reacting so strongly?

Dong Xue helps Jiang Yan sit up and gives her a bowl of medicine so bitter it could make someone commit suicide. Only then does Jiang Yan regain a little clarity. She looks at the moonlight outside the window, sighs, and gets out of bed barefoot. She grabs the coat from the screen, throws it on, and bolts out the door.

The two maids are terrified. One grabs the cloak, the other the shoes, and they clumsily chase after her, looking quite comical.

The three of them arrive at the laundry room in a rush. The courtyard is silent. Dong Xue pulls the cloak around Jiang Yan and says, “Miss, it’s already quarter to seven. The Eldest Miss must be asleep. Let’s go back and see her tomorrow. You’re still recovering and can’t afford to catch a cold.”

Although Jiang Yan is anxious, she knows this is the only option. She can’t just pull a sleeping person out of their bed to show her sincerity.

Just as she’s about to step out of the courtyard, Jiang Yan hears a faint scolding voice. She stops and gestures for the maids to be quiet.

“Did you two hear something?”

Dong Xue: “Yes.”

Qiu Yue: “It seems to be coming from the next courtyard.”

Jiang Yan is stunned. She takes long strides to the next courtyard. When she sees Chun Niang standing with her hands on her hips, scolding Jiang Zhen and her maid, she feels a surge of anger. She never expected the General’s Residence’s eldest daughter to be banished to a deserted courtyard, or that a lowly laundry room servant would dare to order around a master.

In that moment, she understands why, in the original plot, Jiang Zhen would treat Yuan Feng and the original Jiang Yan that way. This is all a result of their own actions. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—that’s fair.

Hidden by the night, Chun Niang doesn’t notice Jiang Yan and continues to rant.

“Don’t think that just because we call you ‘Eldest Miss’ you’re really the master here. Everyone knows how Madam feels about you. Once you’re in my laundry room, you follow my rules. If you don’t finish washing these today, you can forget about sleeping!”

Chun Niang’s lips curl up to the sky, and her eyes are full of contempt. If Jiang Zhen had just been obedient, she wouldn’t have made things so difficult for her. But Jiang Zhen has a proud spirit; she may look docile on the surface, but her eyes hold no respect for her. That arrogant look annoys her greatly. Because of this, Jiang Zhen hasn’t had a good day in the two days she’s been here. She’s been washing clothes from morning to night, and everyone else’s workload has been significantly reduced.

Jiang Zhen lowers her head and scrubs the clothes in her hands, ignoring Chun Niang’s words. Her back is straight, and her thin clothes reveal her beautiful shoulder blades. From her neck to her spine, there’s a gentle curve.

As Jiang Yan watches her, she can’t help but think one thing.

She’s too thin.

It would be understandable if she were so thin from her time wandering in the frontier, but she’s been in the General’s Residence for half a year and is still this thin. This isn’t Jiang Zhen’s problem; it’s hers and her mother’s responsibility. With her father constantly away on campaigns, the three women were the only ones at home. Jiang Zhen had no one to rely on and could only obey her mother to protect herself.

Thinking this, Jiang Yan feels that she deserved her fate.

Seeing that Jiang Zhen won’t speak, Chun Niang puts her foot on the wooden basin where Jiang Zhen is washing clothes. The water spills out, soaking Jiang Zhen’s skirt.

“I’m talking to you, are you mute?! I’ll make sure you never leave this laundry room! You’re just a bastard; don’t think you’re so important!”

Jiang Zhen’s eyes darken, and her hands clench into fists. Before she can act, Jiang Yan beats her to it.

“You old dog, using your master’s influence to bully others!”

Jiang Yan kicks Chun Niang’s backside, hoping to send her flying. But she overestimated her ten-and-a-half-year-old body. Chun Niang doesn’t move, and Jiang Yan stumbles back and falls to the ground.

The two maids gasp in unison and rush to help her up.

“Miss, are you okay?” Dong Xue asks, brushing the dust from her clothes.

Jiang Yan doesn’t answer. She glares at the startled Chun Niang, trying to hide her embarrassment.

How could this happen? This is not what I envisioned.

It was supposed to be a cool scene where she kicks this old dog over, grabs her by the scruff of her neck, and gives her a couple of gentle slaps, then tenderly holds Jiang Zhen’s hand and says, “It’s okay. Don’t be afraid.” A K-drama scene, but instead…

Forget about it.

This will be a stain on her professional career.

Though Chun Niang was arrogant in front of Jiang Zhen, she’s now so frightened by Jiang Yan she can barely stand. She quickly kneels and greets her.

“Second Miss, you’ve come. What brings you to the laundry room at this hour?”

Jiang Yan thinks to herself that one setback is nothing. She mustn’t lose her master’s presence. She walks up to Chun Niang and says in a deliberately mature tone, “It’s none of your business why I’m here. I’m here to ask you, what important matter is delaying my sister from sleeping at this hour?”

Chun Niang’s expression stiffens. After a moment, she forces a calm look. “These clothes belong to Madam. Her clothes must be washed the same day she wears them, so I had to trouble the Eldest Miss to do it. As you know, it was Madam’s order to send the Eldest Miss to the laundry room, so this old servant wouldn’t dare to disobey.”

Jiang Yan mimics her, placing her foot on the basin. The water splashes all over Chun Niang, making her shiver from the cold.

“So you’re using this as an excuse to bully my sister?”

“Second Miss, you wrong this old servant. How could I dare to bully the Eldest Miss? She’s the master, and I’m just a servant. Even if you gave me ten thousand times the courage, I wouldn’t dare!” Chun Niang’s voice is full of sincerity, so much so that she’s almost in tears.

Jiang Yan scoffs. She scoops the clothes from the basin and throws them at her. “Stop talking nonsense! I saw it with my own eyes. Do you still want to deny it? It seems you won’t give up until you face the consequences. Dong Xue, Qiu Yue, slap her! Keep slapping her until she tells the truth.”

Dong Xue and Qiu Yue are four years older than Jiang Yan and are already strong. With Jiang Yan here, Chun Niang doesn’t dare to move and can only endure the slaps. As the crisp sounds of slaps ring out, Jiang Yan remembers to comfort Jiang Zhen. She looks at her and their eyes meet. Jiang Zhen’s eyes are filled with curiosity, and Jiang Yan’s heart skips a beat.

Did I overdo it? Did she see through me?

Thankfully, Jiang Zhen doesn’t stare for long and subtly looks away.

Jiang Yan takes a deep breath, fixes her expression, walks to Jiang Zhen, and takes her hands. “Sister, you’ve suffered so much these past two days.”

Jiang Zhen is taken aback. She quickly pulls her hands away and wipes them on her skirt, as if she’s touched something dirty.

Jiang Yan: Am I a source of infection? Why is she so wary of me?

【You should know better. After how you treated her for the past half-year, it’s a miracle she hasn’t kicked you away.】 The system, Oscar, adds insult to injury at the perfect moment.

Jiang Yan: “Shut up. No one will mistake you for being mute if you just stay quiet!”