“Hurry up already. Stop dawdling!” The wedding matron waved impatiently for the servants to put everything down before quickly ushering them all out.
When Jiang Jiaran opened her eyes, that was the first thing she heard. She blinked and saw nothing but red. Something seemed to be covering her head.
Even though she could not see anything, she could still sense the impatience and perfunctory attitude in those words.
Once the scattered footsteps faded away, the surroundings instantly fell silent.
The atmosphere felt strange. Jiang Jiaran was clearly awake, yet her mind was muddled. She seemed to be sitting, but her body would not obey her.
Like sleep paralysis.
Hm? Could a ghost still experience sleep paralysis after dying?
Just as that thought crossed her mind, her body suddenly relaxed. Starting from her fingertips, warmth slowly spread upward through her limbs.
The moment she regained full control, she instinctively reached up and pulled away the red cloth blocking her vision.
The maid Yu’er was timid and not very clever. She was not the sort to please her masters, and she had no backing in the Ying Residence. Otherwise, she would not have been singled out and pushed here alone to serve the newly married young madam.
It was said that only after the bride had already entered the residence did the family discover that the bride was not the Second Miss Jiang as expected, but the Third Miss instead.
Yu’er did not understand how a bride could still be switched at the last moment before the wedding. After the wedding matron and the others hurried away, only she remained, standing awkwardly at the side.
The Jiang family’s young lady had married that Young Master Lou of the residence, the one no one dared speak much about. Young Master Lou had not even shown his face, so no proper wedding ceremony could be completed.
A perfectly good bride had simply been placed onto the bed and left there.
Yu’er suddenly felt that the young madam looked even more pitiful than herself.
She had just stepped forward, wanting to ask something, when Jiang Jiaran suddenly lifted the bridal veil. The sight startled her so badly she nearly bit her tongue.
“Y-Young Madam?”
Jiang Jiaran finally saw her surroundings. Everything was decorated in an antique style unfamiliar to her. The wedding candles flickered, casting an even deeper red glow across the room.
Looking down, she realized the thing she had removed was actually a red bridal veil. She was also dressed in a bright red wedding robe.
Only after hearing Yu’er’s startled cry did she notice there was a little maid in the room.
Jiang Jiaran frowned slightly. Why was she not dead?
The doubt surfaced only to be denied by herself almost immediately.
No. She had died.
She was certain of it.
Years of research and effort. Countless meticulous adjustments and calculations. She had finally succeeded in luring the leader of the Variants into her sealed experimental base.
She had personally pressed the detonator. Right before her eyes, the Variant leader had been blown into dust. In the final moment before death, she had watched the Variant monitoring instruments clear completely. The entire base that had been turned into a trap, along with humanity’s greatest enemy, had all been annihilated without even ashes remaining.
As the only human inside, her chances of survival had been zero. Besides, she had never intended to survive in the first place. Those were her research results, and she herself was the most reliable bait.
So…
Jiang Jiaran bit her index finger. It hurt.
Then she asked the little maid, “Where is this?”
Yu’er saw that after glancing at her once, the young madam had gone expressionless and motionless for a long while, only to suddenly ask such a strange question. She could not help wondering if the woman had gone mad right after getting married.
Taking half a step back, she cautiously replied, “This is the Ying Residence, Young Madam. You were married into the family today.”
The Ying Residence?
As though something had been triggered, fragmented memories suddenly surfaced in her mind before gradually becoming clear.
Jiang Jiaran? A Substitute Bride marrying into the Ying Residence? Ying… Zhaolou?
Jiang Jiaran suddenly understood.
This was a novel she had once read.
She had undergone Transmigration.
There had been a minor Cannon Fodder character in the novel with the same name as her. She had found it amusing at the time and finished reading the whole story. But aside from a few brief mentions, that character had practically disappeared from the plot entirely.
She did not know why, but she had become that insignificant Cannon Fodder.
Perhaps because she had experienced too many shocking things in her previous life, Jiang Jiaran accepted the fact that she had transmigrated into a book with remarkable ease.
Knowing the situation was always better than remaining in uncertainty.
Seeing the little maid still watching her cautiously, Jiang Jiaran softened her expression and smiled. “I know where this is. I only asked because your face looked so tense. I was teasing you.”
As she spoke, she stood up and stretched her arms.
Her hands and feet were much smaller than before. Well, this body was only fifteen or sixteen years old. That was not so bad. She had become seven or eight years younger.
Yu’er froze for a moment before patting her own stiff face with both hands. Perhaps because the young madam had smiled, she too gradually relaxed.
The young madam really was beautiful when she smiled.
Jiang Jiaran walked over to the table in the room. Around the wedding candles were several small plates filled with wedding snacks, peanuts, dates, and a few dishes that had just been brought in.
This body had barely eaten anything and was already starving.
She leaned over and rummaged through the food before grabbing a handful of peanuts. With a crack, she split one open and tossed it into her mouth.
The rich fragrance of peanuts instantly spread across her tongue.
She could not help raising her brows, feeling a trace of nostalgia.
How long had it been since she last ate peanuts? Probably two years at least. Variant activity had grown increasingly frequent, plant survival rates had continuously dropped, and peanuts had gradually become extinct. She had never expected to see them in this fictional Great Ying Dynasty.
Yu’er suddenly remembered something and hurried over to bow. “Young Madam, this servant is called Yu’er. The residence assigned me to serve you.”
“Yu’er. That’s a nice name.” Jiang Jiaran bit into a date and tilted her head with a smile. She grabbed another handful of peanuts and stuffed them into Yu’er’s hands. “Eat some. They’re delicious.”
Yu’er quickly cupped them with both hands and smiled as well. In the past, she had always trembled nervously around the masters of the residence. Yet after the young madam smiled at her once, her anxiety seemed to disappear completely.
This would surely be an easygoing mistress.
Jiang Jiaran swallowed another bite of wedding pastry when her hand suddenly paused. Turning her head, she asked, “Who’s there?”
One of the windows in the room was open, and half of a little head was poking in from the windowsill.
After being discovered, the child neither panicked nor fled. He used both arms to push himself up and kicked his legs until half his body climbed into the window.
It was a delicate and adorable little boy.
The boy leaned against the window and peered at her fearlessly. In a crisp yet childish voice, he openly asked, “Hey, they’re just peanuts and dates. Are they really that tasty?”
Jiang Jiaran was slightly surprised, though not particularly shocked. Whether for herself or the original Jiang Jiaran, the Ying Residence was an unfamiliar place. Since he appeared here, he was probably one of the Ying family’s children.
Jiang Jiaran liked children. There was always vitality and hope in them. Besides, this little boy happened to be exactly the type she found adorable.
She picked up a plate and walked over, holding it before him. “Kid, everyone has different tastes. Whether something tastes good or not should be decided by yourself.”
The little boy was not shy at all. He picked one up with his small hand and stuffed it into his mouth.
“Mmm… it is tasty, but nothing special.” The little boy spoke seriously. “It’s not like I’ve never eaten it before.”
Then he slid down from the window with a thump.
“Oh, and I’m not called Kid. My name is Lier!”
The moment his words ended, he ran off in a flash.
Once he disappeared, the small courtyard outside came fully into view. Jiang Jiaran lifted her head, but the scenery before her suddenly made her freeze.
Judging by the feeling in the air, it was probably late summer. The evening breeze was cool and refreshing rather than stuffy. Soft wind brushed through the leaves and branches, carrying the fragrance of trees and grass from the courtyard.
It was far too gentle.
This was the scent from her youthful memories, not the stench of rotting corpses and dry sand that later filled the world.
The courtyard walls were tall, yet nowhere near the towering fortifications of the base. Her gaze could drift past the walls, watching the swaying branches outside and the distant roof corners beyond them.
The world Jiang Jiaran had come from was an apocalyptic wasteland.
Her life had once been ordinary too. Her biggest worries had been whether she could sleep a little longer, how close the second-place student was to surpassing her again, and when her research fanatic father would finally come home for a meal.
Then one day, the Variants appeared, and all peace and order shattered.
The ordinary scene before her was something she once possessed and lost, something she had fought desperately to regain. She had believed she would never see it again.
Yet now…
Yu’er noticed that after the child ran away, the young madam had been staring blankly at the trees in the courtyard. She looked as though she were about to cry.
On her wedding night, she had no husband by her side. It even seemed she had not brought a single dowry maid with her. This Substitute Bride from the Jiang family had probably lived a very miserable life before this.
Yu’er felt sorry for her. Thinking about herself too, her eyes began to sting.
Just as tears threatened to fall, she suddenly met the young madam’s gaze.
Calm and steady.
So she had not been crying after all?
Jiang Jiaran returned to her seat and continued eating while asking Yu’er, “He said his name is Lier. Which young master of the family is he?”
“Lier?” Yu’er thought for a moment before suddenly realizing. “Oh, him. That child seems to be called Ying Li.”
As for whether he counted as one of the residence’s young masters, Yu’er did not quite know how to explain it. After all, in the eyes of the Ying family, they had never truly treated Young Master Lou as one of the Ying Residence’s sons. Ever since Young Master Lou returned, they had never even adjusted the family ranking among the brothers. Everyone simply called him Young Master Lou.
“That’s Young Master Lou’s sworn younger brother. I heard he was an orphan picked up from outside.” After hesitating briefly, Yu’er added a warning. “That child is very… mischievous. Young Madam should stay away from him in the future.”
Although she had never met him personally before, she had heard that Ying Li was a little devil who gave everyone in the residence headaches.
Jiang Jiaran silently pondered this.
Ying Zhaolou’s sworn younger brother, Ying Li?
She did not remember such a character existing in the novel at all. It seemed this place was not entirely identical to the book.
Then again, the original novel had only been a rough and cliché romance story focused mainly on the male and female leads’ perspectives.
Back then, the base had only just begun operations and her father had been far too busy. Without discussion, he had tossed the first testing phase of the terminal system onto her shoulders. Knowing she would be trapped in the laboratory for half a month monitoring the tests nonstop, she had casually copied several novels onto her terminal beforehand to pass the time.
This had been one of them, chosen simply because of the name “Jiang Jiaran.” She had even finished the story hoping to see whether the character with her name would appear again, all while constantly criticizing the plot.
If this world truly operated entirely according to the novel’s logic, it would have collapsed long ago.
Thinking about it now, those half a month had been one of the rare peaceful and quiet periods of her life.
A smile surfaced in her heart.
At least in this life, she could finally make up for some things.
After eating her fill, Jiang Jiaran intended to sort through her thoughts further. But once the initial burst of energy faded, overwhelming exhaustion swept over her in waves.
Unable to resist, she barely managed to sit on the bed before falling asleep.
When she woke again, it was already morning.
The scattered memories had gradually organized themselves during her sleep. Jiang Jiaran stared at the bed curtains for a while, accepting everything quite well.
When she sat up, she noticed she was no longer wearing the wedding robes. Her jewelry had been completely removed, and even her makeup had been cleaned off.
“Young Madam is awake.” Hearing movement, Yu’er entered and lifted the bed curtains before handing her a warm towel. “You must have been too tired last night. You fell asleep before changing or washing up.”
Jiang Jiaran took the towel and pressed it against her face. The warmth felt incredibly comforting.
Suddenly remembering something, she quickly threw on an outer robe and hurried to the dressing mirror for a closer look.
Her appearance was almost eighty or ninety percent identical to her original self, except even more refined. Her youthful skin was soft and delicate, and long black hair cascaded over her shoulders in thick abundance. The amount of hair alone was enough to reassure anyone.
“You helped me after I fell asleep last night, right? Thanks for the trouble.” Judging by the complexity of yesterday’s outfit, especially the headpieces, Yu’er must have spent a long time removing everything.
Yu’er had never been treated so politely by a master before. She was both flattered and pleasantly surprised.
But the warmth disappeared instantly after Jiang Jiaran asked another question.
“Right. Do I need to meet anyone today?”
The day after a wedding, naturally the bride should serve tea to her parents-in-law. But it was obvious that the Second Master’s family had no intention of meeting her.
Seeing Yu’er hesitate with a conflicted expression, Jiang Jiaran immediately understood. The little maid wore all her thoughts plainly on her face.
“Looks like I don’t need to. After all, Ying Zhaolou never showed up either.”
Yu’er hurriedly said, “Young Madam, don’t be upset. Young Master Lou’s legs are crippled now, and he’s still ill. He probably didn’t want to pass his sickness onto you, so—”
Before she could finish, Jiang Jiaran suddenly laughed. “I’m not upset. This is great.”
Of course she knew Ying Zhaolou would not come. It was actually reassuring that he stayed away. She had suddenly become a married woman, and her husband was even a major villainous boss. No matter how she thought about it, it was better not to meet him too soon.
Jiang Jiaran not only knew Ying Zhaolou’s disability was fake, she also knew he was a terrifying villain who would slaughter his enemies without mercy.
And in the future, he would fall in love with her second sister Jiang Minxian.
After all, the heroine was loved by everyone.
Yu’er did not quite understand. But the young madam did not look like she was forcing a smile. She genuinely seemed happy.
“Is there anything to eat?”
Yu’er snapped out of her thoughts and quickly nodded before bringing in a food box.
After opening it and placing the food on the table, Jiang Jiaran leaned over to look.
One small steamed bun, one small dish of pickles, and one bowl of porridge.
Comparing the size, the bowl of porridge was not even as large as a fist.
Hah. Did women here really eat this little?
Seeing her measuring the bowl with her eyes, Yu’er’s face instantly turned red. Clutching the food box, she hurriedly explained, “Yu’er went too late and only managed to grab these. I’ll go earlier at noon.”
Jiang Jiaran glanced at her. The little maid was terrible at lying.
A young madam needing her servant to fight for food?
More likely, Yu’er had not gone late at all. The kitchen staff had intentionally neglected her.
“And yours?”
“This servant already ate.”
The moment Yu’er finished speaking, her stomach growled loudly, exposing the lie completely. Her face turned crimson, and she fell silent.
Because she had argued with the kitchen servants earlier, she had not received the servants’ portion of food either.
Jiang Jiaran narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.
Although she had been an adopted daughter of the Jiang family, the old master had doted on her since childhood. But after his death, her life had steadily worsened. Otherwise, she would never have been forcibly arranged into becoming a Substitute Bride for Jiang Minxian’s marriage.
She remembered that the novel had briefly mentioned how “Jiang Jiaran” died of illness shortly after marrying into the family.
Jiang Jiaran stared at the breakfast on the table and inwardly clicked her tongue.
That poor girl…
Could she have actually starved to death?