Transmigrated Into an Ancient Filial Piety Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jiang Yubai entered the room and said nothing more. She walked straight to the table, extinguished the already dim oil lamp, and plunged the room into darkness.

Ji Huan hesitated several times before speaking, then organized her words and said, “Don’t listen to Mother’s nonsense. Her words have no reason. You don’t need to listen to them.”

Jiang Yubai didn’t expect Ji Huan to say this. Her hands, which were arranging the straw mat, paused. After all, the original Ji Huan treated Liu Fengmei’s words as sacred and never dared to defy them.

But Jiang Yubai didn’t dwell on it. She assumed Ji Huan felt guilty and said soft words to comfort her.

When Jiang Yubai first married into the family, Ji Huan often spoke kindly to console her. But whenever Liu Fengmei or other family members insulted her, Ji Huan never defended her. Instead, Ji Huan told her to be more understanding of her mother and family and even made her apologize to them.

This happened many times, so Jiang Yubai had long lost hope in Ji Huan. She no longer expected Ji Huan to be as caring as other spouses. Perhaps this was just her fate.

Jiang Yubai continued her work, tidied the straw, and lay down on it. She covered herself with the tattered quilt nearby.

Winter nights were already cold, and with only straw beneath her, a bone-chilling cold quickly enveloped her body. She shivered slightly from the cold, but Jiang Yubai had long grown used to such temperatures. No one stood up for her or cared about her. All she could do was adapt quickly.

In the Ji family, no one treated her like a person, including Ji Huan. She had thought about leaving, but where could a Kunze like her go? Winter offered few jobs, and employers preferred stronger Qianyuan or Zhongyong workers. How could she make a living?

The cold floor made Jiang Yubai shiver. She resignedly closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep quickly. Only sleep kept her from feeling the cold.

Ji Huan waited a while and heard no movement from Jiang Yubai’s side. She then recalled from the original book that Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, the original owner’s parents, considered Jiang Yubai unlucky and forced her to sleep on a straw pile. In summer, it was bearable, but now, in winter, even Ji Huan felt cold on the bed. How much worse was it for Jiang Yubai on the straw?

Ji Huan propped herself up slightly to look toward Jiang Yubai. The room was pitch black, with only faint moonlight filtering through the window, casting mottled shadows on the floor.

Ji Huan barely made out Jiang Yubai’s outline near the wooden cabinet. “Yubai, are you asleep?”

Jiang Yubai, just drifting into sleep, heard Ji Huan call her and quickly sat up. “Not yet. Do you need to get up?”

“No, the floor’s too cold. Come sleep on the bed with me.” Ji Huan continued.

Jiang Yubai froze. She and Ji Huan had been married for nearly half a year. Since joining the Ji family, she always slept on the straw. Though Ji Huan never said it outright, Jiang Yubai knew Ji Huan also thought she was unlucky. Ji Huan avoided her, even stepping back if they accidentally touched. How could Ji Huan invite her to share the bed?

Had Ji Huan hit her head when she fell into the water? Or did she feel Liu Fengmei’s insults today were too harsh and wanted to comfort her?

Jiang Yubai didn’t take it seriously, assuming Ji Huan was talking nonsense. She replied calmly, “No need. I’m used to sleeping here.”

As she spoke, Jiang Yubai started to lie back down. The little warmth she had gathered was gone, and she sighed, knowing she’d have to endure the cold again tonight.

Seeing the shadowy figure about to lie down, Ji Huan hurriedly said, “I’m serious. It’s cold in winter, and the floor’s damp. Sleeping there isn’t good for you. Come sleep on the bed with me. It’s cold, but it’s much better than the floor.”

Jiang Yubai didn’t expect Ji Huan to repeat the offer. Her heart stirred, her eyes brightened briefly, then dimmed again. “What if Mother asks about it in the morning?”

As Jiang Yubai asked, she held no hope. After all, Ji Huan was devoted and never defied Liu Fengmei.

Just as she prepared to lie down again, Ji Huan’s next words came.

“It’s fine. If she asks, I’ll handle it. Don’t worry, I won’t let her bully you.” Ji Huan softened her voice, reassuring Jiang Yubai, trying to make her believe the words.

Seeing Jiang Yubai still unmoving, Ji Huan grew anxious. Her strength was gradually returning, and perhaps due to the system, she felt stronger than before. She sat up and quickly added, “I mean it. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from now on and won’t let anyone bully you.”

Jiang Yubai sat still, clearly not believing Ji Huan. A Qianyuan suddenly showing kindness to a Kunze made her think Ji Huan wanted something from her. The faint ripple of hope in her heart quickly faded.

She knew it—why would Ji Huan suddenly be kind to her? But wasn’t Ji Huan afraid of dying? Since that incident, everyone—family and villagers—feared she’d jinx them to death. Wasn’t Ji Huan afraid?

Jiang Yubai’s mind was in turmoil, recalling past events. But she couldn’t resist this small warmth. Since her mother’s death, no one had reached out to help her. Even knowing Ji Huan’s offer to share the bed wasn’t purely kind, she wavered easily.

“Alright, then… aren’t you afraid?” Jiang Yubai’s expression showed hesitation as she finally asked.

Ji Huan understood her meaning immediately and said, “Of course not. You’re my wife. Why would I be afraid of you? Don’t take the nonsense others say seriously. Just treat it as them spewing garbage.”

Jiang Yubai’s grip on the quilt tightened. She stood, holding the quilt, thought for a moment, and began patting the dust off herself and the quilt, worried about dirtying Ji Huan’s bed.

She patted for a while before stopping. Seeing Ji Huan say nothing, she nervously approached the bed, unsure if she should climb in. Had Ji Huan changed her mind?

As Jiang Yubai overthought, a warm hand grasped her wrist. “What are you standing there for? Get up here and sleep.”

Ji Huan spoke and shifted inward, leaving the outer side for Jiang Yubai. The wooden bed wasn’t large, about 1.4 meters wide, but it could fit two people.

Jiang Yubai’s wrist, where Ji Huan grabbed it, felt faintly warm. She could hardly remember the last time someone touched her like that since her mother passed.

She cautiously sat on the bed’s edge, about to cover herself with her quilt, when she touched a warm quilt on the bed. Had Ji Huan left it for her?

Jiang Yubai paused, hardly believing it.

“This quilt?” Jiang Yubai asked hesitantly, unable to see Ji Huan’s expression in the dark.

“It’s for you to cover with. We’ll share one quilt, and you can put yours on top. It’ll be warmer.” Ji Huan explained.

Jiang Yubai’s lips pursed slightly, her face growing paler than before. Sharing a quilt—did Ji Huan really plan to consummate their marriage?

Jiang Yubai gave a bitter smile. Of course—how could Ji Huan suddenly be considerate? It was just a Qianyuan’s desire to possess her.

Her eyes reddened. She couldn’t escape and didn’t know where to go. Even if she left Ji Huan, East Ox Village offered no place for her, and things wouldn’t be much better.

Jiang Yubai numbly climbed into bed, covered herself with the quilt Ji Huan left, and placed her own on top.

Her body stiffened, waiting for Ji Huan’s next move. In the dark, she gave a desolate smile. If Liu Fengmei found out, she’d surely insult her with even worse words tomorrow.

But Jiang Yubai waited a long time with no movement from Ji Huan. Confused, she turned to look. In the dark, Ji Huan seemed to have closed her eyes to sleep.

Sensing someone watching, Ji Huan opened her eyes and met Jiang Yubai’s gaze.

Assuming Jiang Yubai feared Liu Fengmei’s scolding for sleeping on the bed, Ji Huan gently patted her hand, reassuring her, “Don’t worry about Mother and the others. I’m here. Sleep early. No more sleeping on the floor. This bed’s big enough for both of us.”

Jiang Yubai nodded dazedly and saw Ji Huan close her eyes again, looking ready to sleep.

So Ji Huan really just wanted her to sleep on the bed?

With two people under the quilt, it was extra warm. The bed had a mattress, so it wasn’t too cold or uncomfortable. In such conditions, Jiang Yubai quickly felt sleepy. As she drifted off, she still thought about that question.