When a "Sea King" is Bound to a System [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 44

Jiang Yan didn’t let her mother send a private jet, opting to buy a ticket and fly back herself. Shangguan Yi personally picked her up at the airport, immediately hugging her and tenderly remarking that she had lost weight.

“I haven’t lost weight, I’ve gained two pounds.” Qin Yishu, using Jiang Yan’s lack of stamina as an excuse, made her eat more every day, causing her to gain several pounds in just two or three months.

Shangguan Yi scolded gently, “You clearly look thinner. When we get home, I’ll have the chef cook you more delicious food to supplement.”

Jiang Yan objected, but her protests were ineffective. That night, she ate so many tonics that she could barely sit up.

At one in the morning, her phone rang. Jiang Yan glanced at the caller ID and ruthlessly pressed “end call.”

The caller immediately rang again, over and over, persistently.

Jiang Yan didn’t turn off her phone; she just rejected the call every time it came in, messing with Qin Yishu’s mentality.

Since she couldn’t sleep anyway, she might as well play a game with her.

After about ten calls, Qin Yishu stopped ringing, and shortly after the silence, a text message arrived.

“Yan Yan, pick up the phone.”

“Yan Yan, listen to my explanation. It’s not what you think.”

“Yan Yan, pick up the phone.”

“…”

Many text messages came in. Jiang Yan deleted them with one click, tossed her phone aside, and lay down.

Too many coincidences suggest manipulation. She didn’t know what role Nan Yin played, but she certainly couldn’t be innocent.

Why else would it be such a coincidence that when she arrived, they were discussing her, the door was unlocked, and Nan Yin “recognized” her?

Nan Yin might look innocent and cute, but she wasn’t as simple as she appeared. But what did it matter? Qin Yishu had still said those hurtful words, which must be what she truly thought deep down.

After all, she hadn’t expected Jiang Yan to go to the hotel, let alone be standing right outside the door.

She could have just left, but she walked in because she wanted to give Qin Yishu a chance to explain. In the end, Qin Yishu said nothing.

She offered no explanation, only telling her to go home and be obedient.

“Obedient? Go to hell!” The more Jiang Yan thought about it, the angrier she got. She sat up in bed and fiercely punched the stuffed toy beside her twice.

What did Qin Yishu take her for, constantly demanding obedience?

Be obedient in bed, be obedient outside, and even at a moment like that, she still told her to be obedient. If she liked compliant things so much, why didn’t she just get a dog?

She fumed for half the night, and as dawn approached, the sadness returned. Her eyes were swollen from crying.

Shangguan Yi knocked on the door to wake her daughter for breakfast and was startled by the sight of the creature before her—hair disheveled, dark circles under her eyes bigger than her fists, and her eyes bloodshot. She subconsciously took a step back.

“Oh, my daughter, what happened to you? You scared your mother.”

Jiang Yan was enveloped in an air of dejection. She said gloomily, “Good morning, Mommy. What’s wrong with me? I’m perfectly fine.”

Shangguan Yi rubbed her forehead, saying with a headache, “Now, immediately, go to sleep. I’ll have Aunt Zhang stew some tonics for you, which you can eat after you’ve slept enough. Starting tomorrow, you must pull yourself together and change, inside and out.”

Jiang Yan, with her bird’s nest hair, looked confused. “Why do I need to change? Are you not satisfied with how I look now?”

“Whether I’m satisfied or not isn’t important. What’s important is whether the Xiao family is satisfied.”

“Why does the Xiao family need to be satisfied?”

Jiang Yan’s mind was still frozen, and she didn’t grasp the hidden meaning in her mother’s words.

“Xiao Jin is back from the US. Do you understand what I mean?”

“No.”

What did Xiao Jin’s return have to do with her?

Shangguan Yi was almost exasperated. She didn’t waste any more words, ordering Jiang Yan to sleep. She then turned and went downstairs to instruct the chef to prepare tonics and simultaneously contact a makeup artist, stylist, and etiquette coach.

The Xiao family was a prestigious and renowned family; they couldn’t afford to be impolite in front of them.

Jiang Yan collapsed onto the bed and slept for what felt like an eternity.

In her dream, Qin Yishu and Nan Yin walked the red carpet arm-in-arm, smiling sweetly, the same scene replaying over and over.

Jiang Yan woke up feeling more tired than before she slept. She opened her phone, and a Weibo notification popped up: Qin Yishu and Nan Yin attended the Mid-Year Gala’s red carpet together.

Her eyes dimmed for a moment before she dismissed the notification.

She hadn’t expected her dreams to have this function. Could she predict the plot’s direction in advance from now on? That would be a useful skill.

Although her fatigue hadn’t eased, she had slept long enough. Jiang Yan lay still for a while, and when she no longer felt sleepy, she got up.

Going downstairs, she saw many unfamiliar people sitting in the living room. She thought they were her mother’s guests, but upon descending, she learned they were all hired for her.

“Yan Yan, this is Teacher Liu, this is Teacher Zhao, and this is Teacher Jia. You must have met them before, right?”

Jiang Yan forced a professional smile and greeted them one by one.

Not just met—they were the original body’s childhood trauma.

The makeup artist and stylist were fine, but the etiquette coach had taught her manners starting from age five, for a full eight years, stopping only when the original body went abroad to study.

She had thought she would never see them again in this lifetime. She hadn’t expected such a “fateful encounter” today.

“Are the teachers here to chat with my mother?” Jiang Yan sat down smoothly, probing the situation.

The etiquette coach elegantly set down her coffee cup and said, “Madam Jiang invited us here, mainly for you.”

Jiang Yan’s heart sank, and she struggled to maintain her smile.

“I think Miss Jiang really needs a good makeover,” the makeup artist said.

“Yes, her current state is really unlike a rich heiress,” the stylist agreed.

They had a long-term working relationship with the Jiang family, so they spoke without reserve and didn’t specially flatter Jiang Yan.

Shangguan Yi completely agreed with them, wishing she could have them start transforming her daughter immediately.

“Yan Yan, go eat first. Mom had Aunt Zhang stew pigeon soup and bird’s nest for you.”

Jiang Yan dragged her heavy feet to the dining room, occasionally hearing the teachers’ critiques about her.

The pigeon and bird’s nest in her hands instantly lost their appeal.

Her suffering began after she finished eating.

The etiquette coach asked her to review the manners she had learned previously. Jiang Yan could only recall the general outlines from memory. The etiquette coach was very displeased and told her, “No, this is completely unfit for formal occasions. Starting tomorrow, we’ll start everything over from scratch.”

Jiang Yan’s legs went weak, and she nearly stumbled.

The makeup artist examined her skin, then used various instruments to test it, shaking her head. “The skin is too rough, severe dark circles, and mild dehydration. Makeup won’t work in this condition. We need to start using various products tonight.”

“The hair is a bit dry, but overall it’s okay. I can take it easy here.”

After the whole process, Jiang Yan was physically and mentally exhausted. The thought of an even more strenuous tomorrow made her want to run away from home again.

Shangguan Yi saw through her intentions and said faintly, “Don’t even think about it. Stay home obediently. Old Master Xiao’s 70th birthday is coming up soon, and you must attend no matter what.”

The Xiao and Jiang families were long-standing friends. Whenever there was an event, both families attended in full. Previously, because Jiang Yan and Xiao Jin were studying abroad, their interactions were not frequent. But now that they were both back, it was natural to deepen the relationship.

After all, both families favored the two to marry and wanted to bring them together. A direct blind date would be awkward, so an occasion like this was the perfect setting.

Jiang Yan felt utterly miserable. She wanted her mother to give her a break and stop hounding her, but seeing her determined expression, she gave up the idea.

The following week, Jiang Yan spent her time in crash courses on etiquette and trying out various makeup looks and hairstyles. Qin Yishu still called every day, and she continued to reject the call every time, until Qin Yishu eventually stopped calling.

Ten days later, it was the day of the Old Master’s 70th birthday.

The Xiao residence was bustling with activity, attended by almost all the influential figures in half the country. As an established wealthy family that had been around for generations, the network they had accumulated was immense.

Jiang Yan wore a custom-made fairy dress, her long hair pinned up, and a diamond tiara on her head.

She hadn’t planned to steal the spotlight at someone else’s birthday, but the Xiao family had sent this tiara, saying it was a special graduation gift for Jiang Yan.

Shangguan Yi was naturally delighted and insisted that Jiang Yan wear it.

She was already tall, slender yet curvy. Paired with the slip dress, her good figure was fully showcased. She looked full of fairy-like charm yet with a hint of sexiness. When she walked into the banquet hall, she drew countless eyes.

Jiang Yan didn’t like this kind of attention, but Shangguan Yi was extremely proud and constantly reminded her to hold her head high and smile.

Jiang Yan maintained a just-right smile until her face felt stiff, following her parents around to offer toasts.

“Auntie, I’d like to borrow Yan Yan for a few hours.”

A clear, cool voice sounded. Jiang Yan looked up and saw a stunning beauty with a cold, refined demeanor standing beside her.

The moment she saw her, a name popped into Jiang Yan’s head—Xiao Jin.

The heiress of the Xiao family, five years older than her, and a fresh Ph.D. graduate.

Compared to the others’ elaborate formal wear, her outfit was somewhat casual: a black suit, white low-heeled leather shoes, and very light makeup. The only thing that stood out was her short purple hair, which made her pop among the sea of dull blacks, yellows, and reds.

When Shangguan Yi saw it was Xiao Jin, she happily pushed Jiang Yan toward her. “Xiao Jin, you look beautiful today. This girl of mine is clumsy, please guide her more.”

“No problem, Auntie. Then I’ll take Yan Yan to explore somewhere else.”

“Go ahead, go ahead.”

Seeing her mother’s impatient look, Jiang Yan’s forehead was lined with black streaks. This was utterly frustrating.

What was so great about Xiao Jin? They were all so eager to package her up and send her to this woman.

She grumbled in her heart, not noticing that Xiao Jin, who was walking ahead, had suddenly stopped. She bumped right into her, hitting the other woman’s butterfly bone. Her nose instantly felt sour, and tears began to stream down.

“Are you very dissatisfied with me?”

Xiao Jin turned around, wiping her tears while asking her.

Jiang Yan took the expensive handkerchief from her hand, wiped her tears, and quietly blew her nose into it.

“I am not. You are talking nonsense.”

Xiao Jin said calmly, “I have two Ph.D. degrees, and one of them is in psychology.”

Jiang Yan pouted. So what if she had a psychology degree? What could she do to her if she flat-out denied it?

“No means no. Don’t be so paranoid. Here, your handkerchief.”

She handed the handkerchief to Xiao Jin, who subtly avoided taking it. “It’s not worth much. You can keep it.”

Jiang Yan: “…”

That was a nice way of saying it. She probably didn’t want it after seeing her blow her nose into it.

The two continued to walk out, where they ran into Xiao Jin’s parents. They praised Jiang Yan at length and then instructed Xiao Jin to take good care of her. Xiao Jin agreed with a neutral expression.

Madam Xiao placed Xiao Jin’s hand on Jiang Yan’s waist and only then said contentedly, “You’re standing so far from Yan Yan. People might think you two are enemies.”

Xiao Jin didn’t say anything, but her hand tightened slightly. Jiang Yan was pulled into her arms, their bodies pressed together.

Jiang Yan laughed awkwardly, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. Her breath caught.

How could she be here?!

Qin Yishu, who had just entered the room a moment ago, looked over too, meeting Jiang Yan’s eyes.

Author’s Note: I will likely start the e-sports novel next month. I want to adjust my mood; writing this quick-transmigration novel has been tiring.

If possible, please consider favoriting that one. If you genuinely dislike it, then don’t force yourselves.

I will write the Zhen Xiang (I Regret Nothing) novel after this one is finished. I won’t go back on my word. I love you all. Thank you to the little angels who voted or watered me with nutrient solution during the period of 2021-04-10 18:15:19 ~ 2021-04-10 21:58:19~

Thank you to the little angels who provided nutrient solution: Shuangmu 10 bottles; Optimistic Every Day, Qian Xuanye 8 bottles;

Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!