Chapter 3

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CHAPTER THREE

Li Meilin had lost track of time. She had just realized that a week had blurred together as she immersed herself in her work, tinkering with her wooden washing machine and helping the servants with their tasks. She had been so focused on avoiding the main characters that she hadn’t noticed the passing of time. The demon hunters had arrived days ago, thankfully she managed to stay out of their way—until now.

The door to her room slid open with a sharp clatter, and Meilin jumped, nearly dropping the wooden crank she was holding. Her father, Magistrate Li, stood in the doorway, his expression a mix of exasperation and concern.

“Xinyue,” he said, his voice firm. “Enough of this nonsense. You’ve been hiding in your room for days. The guests are here, and it’s time you met them.”

Meilin’s heart sank. She was hoping to avoid this moment for as long as possible. She quickly set the crank down and clutched her stomach, forcing a pained expression onto her face.

“Father, I’m not feeling well,” she said, her voice weak. “I think I ate something bad. It’s best if I stay here and rest.”

Magistrate Li crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. “Xinyue, I have listened to your excuses long enough. You have been feeling ‘unwell’ for days, yet you ran around the estate, helping the servants. You are not fooling me.”

Meilin’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She had underestimated her father. “But father—”

“No more excuses,” he interrupted, stepping into the room and taking her by the arm. “You will come with me and greet our guests. If you keep hiding in your room, no one will know my daughter is beautiful.”

Meilin had no other choice but to follow. As they walked through the estate, her mind raced. She have to be careful, or else she'll end up dying like the original Li Xinyue.

The main hall was bathed in the soft glow of lantern light and the air filled with the scent of flower incense. The demon hunters were seated around a low table as they talk to each other. Wei Changying sat in the middle of Lihua and Feng Jian. Su Lihua, the leader of the group, sat beside him with a small smile. Feng Jian, the hot-headed swordsman, sat on the other side, his arms crossed and his expression as grumpy as ever.

Magistrate Li led Meilin into the room, his voice booming with forced cheerfulness. “Here she is! My daughter, Li Xinyue. I apologize for her absence these past few days. She’s been feeling unwell.”

Meilin forced a smile, bowing her head politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I apologize for not greeting you sooner.”

Wei Changying stood, his calm eyes meeting hers. “The pleasure is ours, Miss Li. Thank you for joining us.”

His voice was as soothing as she had imagined, but she quickly reminded herself of the danger.

Su Lihua smiled warmly, “Please, sit with us, Miss Li. We’ve heard so much about you.”

Meilin hesitated for a moment before taking a seat next to Su Lihua. The healer’s presence was comforting, like that of an older sister. Meilin couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. Su Lihua wasn’t the kind of person who would harm her, and that made her feel slightly safer.

As the conversation flowed, Meilin did her best to stay composed. She answered questions politely, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. She avoided Wei Changying’s gaze, focusing instead on Su Lihua and the others.

“So, Miss Li,” Feng Jian said, his tone slightly mocking. “We heard you’ve been busy inventing something. What is it, exactly?”

Meilin’s cheeks flushed, but she kept her composure. “It’s just a device to help the servants with their work. Nothing extraordinary.”

Su Lihua’s eyes lit up with interest. “That’s wonderful! It’s so kind of you to think of them. What does it do?”

Meilin explained the wooden washing machine, her voice growing more animated as she described how it worked. Su Lihua listened intently, her admiration evident. Even Feng Jian seemed mildly impressed, though he tried to hide it.

Wei Changying watched her quietly, his calm eyes filled with curiosity. “That’s quite ingenious, Miss Li. You have a talent for innovation.”

Meilin’s heart raced, but she forced herself to smile politely. “Thank you. I just wanted to make their lives a little easier.”

As the evening wore on, Meilin began to relax. The demon hunters weren’t as intimidating as she had feared. Su Lihua’s kind demeanor put her at ease, and even Feng Jian’s grumpiness seemed more amusing than threatening. Wei Changying, though calm and observant, didn’t seem like the kind of person who would harm her.

The conversation soon came to an end and the guests prepared to retire for the night.

★

As she walked back to her room, her mind was filled with conflicting emotions. She had faced the main characters and come out unscathed, but she knew the real challenge was yet to come. She had to stay vigilant. She had to survive.

Just as Meilin was about to reach her room, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Su Lihua approaching, her serene smile as warm as ever.

“Miss Li,” Su Lihua said, her voice gentle. “I wanted to properly introduce myself. I’m Su Lihua, and I’m really glad we got to talk tonight.”

Meilin blinked, surprised by the healer’s friendliness. “Oh, um, it’s nice to meet you too, Miss Su.”

Su Lihua chuckled softly. “Please, call me Lihua. We’ll be staying here for a few weeks to investigate and eliminate the demons that have been terrorizing the town. I hope we can get to know each other better during that time.”

Meilin’s heart warmed at the healer’s kindness. “I’d like that,” she said, her voice sincere.

Su Lihua smiled and patted her arm. “Goodnight, Miss Li. Rest well.”

As Su Lihua walked away, Meilin felt a sense of relief. Unfortunately, as Meilin turned to continue to her room, she caught sight of Feng Jian standing at the end of the hallway. His arms were crossed, and his sharp eyes were fixed on her with an intensity that made her shiver. There was no mistaking the hostility in his gaze.

Meilin quickly looked away, her heart pounding. She had forgotten about Feng Jian’s fierce protectiveness of Su Lihua. In the novel, he had been the one to kill the original Li Xinyue after she harmed Su Lihua. Meilin knew she had to be careful.

★

Meilin stared out the window at the moonlit courtyard, her thoughts drifted to the original Li Xinyue. The girl had been cruel and selfish, but she had also been sickly. Meilin had almost forgotten about that detail. In the novel, Li Xinyue's poor health had been one of the reasons she was so bitter and resentful. But Meilin wasn't like her. She wasn't bitter, and she wasn't resentful. She just wanted to survive.

A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. "Miss Li," a timid voice called. It was Xiaoling, one of her maids. "We've brought your medicine."

Meilin sighed and stood, smoothing the folds of her hanfu. She opened the door to find Xiaoling and another maid, Yingyue, standing there. Xiaoling held a tray with a small bowl of steaming liquid, while Yingyue carried a plate of candied fruits.

"Thank you," Meilin said and let them inside. The maids bowed and set the tray down on a nearby table.

"The physician said you must drink this every night," Xiaoling explained, her voice hesitant. "It's to ease your pain."

Meilin nodded, though her stomach churned at the thought of the bitter medicine. She hates unpleasant tastes, and the thought of drinking something so foul made her want to gag.

"I'll drink it in a moment," she said, forcing a smile. "Thank you for bringing it."

Xiaoling bowed again and hurried out of the room, leaving Yingyue behind.

"Is there anything else you need, Miss Li?" Yingyue asked, her voice soft.

Meilin shook her head. "No, that's all. Thank you, Yingyue."

The maid bowed and left, closing the door behind her. Meilin sighed and turned to the bowl of medicine. The steam rising from it carried a pungent, herbal scent that made her nose wrinkle. She picked up the bowl and took a tentative sip, only to immediately regret it.

The taste was even worse than she had imagined, it was bitter, earthy, and overwhelmingly strong. She gagged and nearly dropped the bowl, her eyes watering as she struggled to swallow the vile liquid.

"Ugh," she muttered, setting the bowl down and reaching for the candied fruits. She popped one into her mouth, the sweetness helping to mask the bitter aftertaste. "How did the original Li Xinyue drink this every night?"

Maybe, if Xinyue had been healthier, she wouldn't have been so resentful.

The medicine took effect quickly. Meilin felt her eyelids grow heavy, her thoughts slowing as a wave of drowsiness washed over her. She barely managed to crawl under the covers before sleep claimed her. Her breathing evened out, and the room fell silent except for the soft rustle of the curtains in the night breeze.

Unbeknownst to Meilin, her father and the demon hunters entered her room a short while later. Magistrate Li led the way, his expression filled with worry. Wei Changying, Su Lihua, and Feng Jian followed, their footsteps quiet on the polished wooden floor.

"My daughter," Magistrate Li said, his voice low so as not to wake her. "She's been suffering from an unknown illness for years. No physician has been able to diagnose it. They can only prescribe medicine to ease her pain and help her sleep."

Wei Changying stepped closer to the bed, his calm eyes studying Meilin's sleeping form. She looked peaceful, her features softened in slumber. "How often does she take the medicine?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"Every morning and night," Magistrate Li replied, his tone heavy with concern. "Without it, she suffers from unbearable pain. But even with it, she's weak and often confined to her room. I've hired the best physicians in the region, but none of them can figure out what's wrong."

Su Lihua's expression softened as she looked at Meilin. "It must be difficult for her," she said, her voice filled with sympathy. "Living with such an illness... it's no wonder she's been absent."

Feng Jian, standing at the back of the room with his arms crossed, said nothing. His sharp eyes flicked over Meilin's sleeping form, his expression unreadable. He didn't seem as moved as the others, but he didn't voice any objections either.

Wei Changying turned to Magistrate Li. "If you don't mind, I'd like to look into her condition further. Perhaps there's something we can do to help."

Magistrate Li's eyes lit up with hope. "You would do that? Thank you, Master Wei. I would be forever grateful."

Su Lihua nodded in agreement. "We'll do everything we can."

The group lingered for a moment longer, their presence a silent vigil over the sleeping girl. Then, with a final glance at Meilin, they quietly left the room, closing the door behind them.

★

The next morning, the sun shone brightly over the Li estate, casting a warm golden glow across the courtyard. Li Meilin had woken up feeling unusually energetic, the effects of the medicine from the previous night having worn off. Determined to make the most of the day, she decided to spend some time with her maids, Xiaoling and Yingyue.

The three of them were playing a game of catch in the courtyard, their laughter echoing through the air. Meilin had found a small, soft ball in her room, and they had been tossing it back and forth, their movements carefree and full of joy. For the first time since transmigrating into this world, Meilin felt a sense of lightness, as if the weight of her worries had momentarily lifted.

"Miss Li, over here!" Xiaoling called, waving her arms as she ran across the courtyard.

Meilin grinned and threw the ball in her direction, but Xiaoling fumbled the catch, and the ball rolled away. Meilin laughed and chased after it, her hanfu fluttering around her as she ran. Yingyue joined in, the three of them giggling as they tried to outmaneuver each other.

Wei Changying and Su Lihua were walking through the estate. They had been discussing the demon attacks and the strange illness plaguing Xinyue when they heard the sound of laughter. Curious, they followed the sound, their footsteps quiet on the stone path.

As they rounded the corner, they saw Meilin running across the courtyard, her face lit up with joy. She was chasing after the ball, her maids close behind her. For a moment, Wei Changying and Su Lihua simply stood there, watching the scene unfold. It was a stark contrast to the image of the sickly, reclusive young mistress they had been told about.

But then, disaster struck. Meilin's foot caught on a loose stone, and she stumbled, her arms flailing as she lost her balance. She let out a small yelp, her eyes widening as she realized she was about to fall.

Wei Changying moved before he even realized what he was doing. In a flash, he was at her side, his strong arms catching her before she could hit the ground. Meilin blinked up at him, her expression more surprised than anything else. His calm, kind eyes met hers, but she quickly straightened herself, pulling away from his grasp.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice soft but steady.

Meilin silently cringed and thought to herself, 'How could I forget. There's always scene like this in stories that have romance. But it wasn't supposed to be me!! I'm a villainess!!!!'

Meilin coughed and pulled away from him, Wei Changying stood there with his hand still in position. Meilin brushed off her hanfu and laughed. "I'm alright. Thank you!"

Su Lihua hurried over, her expression filled with concern. "Miss Li, are you hurt? You shouldn't be running around like that if you're not feeling well."

Meilin look at her confused, in the novel, the three main characters doesn't even know Xinyue is sick. "Hah? How do you know I'm not well?"

Su Lihua's expression softened, "Your father told us about it." Then she gently scolded her nonetheless. "You need to be careful. What if you had gotten hurt?"

Wei Changying, however, intervened. "Lihua, don't scold her. She's only having fun."

Su Lihua sighed but nodded, her concern giving way to a small smile. "I suppose you're right. But please, Miss Li, take care of yourself."

Meilin smiled cheerfully, her mind already elsewhere. "Of course I'm taking care of myself."

---

As Wei Changying and Su Lihua walked away, Meilin stood there, her thoughts racing. This wasn't supposed to happen. In the novel, there had been no scene like this-no moment of laughter, no accidental fall, no Wei Changying catching her. The original Li Xinyue had been cold and distant, her interactions with the demon hunters filled with tension and hostility but not with Changying because she had a crush on him.

But this... this was different. Wei Changying had been kind, his concern genuine. Su Lihua had scolded her, but it had been out of worry, not malice. Meilin rolled her eyes, "Who cares. As long as I don't get killed."

The two maids look at each other, silently asking each other who their Mistress is talking to.

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